Dark Passion Play: Music of the Heart: Book I
by CJ Moliere
Summary: Robert Gold is a celebrity manager always on the lookout for a new client. Belle Chamonceaux is the lead singer and co-composer for the symphonic metal group Ligeia. Suffocating artistically and personally under the iron control of her father Maurice and boyfriend Gaston, she sets out to hire another manager but her decision brings conflicts.
1. Chapter 1

There came days when Robert Gold had to ask himself why he'd chosen to leave his pawnbrokerage and antiquities business and venture into managing the careers of entertainers. His talent for making profitable deals gained him some of the highest paid celebrities in Hollywood as his clients. His top client was the actress Regina Mills Hood and she was also the most demanding. As soon as he saw her number flashing on his cellphone he knew this would not be a social call. He couldn't deny she had talent and one day he expected to see her accepting an Academy Award and to remember he was the one who helped her get there. Without him she would still be still be back in their hometown of Storybrooke, Maine living the life her ruthless mother planned for her, a loveless marriage to a wealthy man twice her age and spending all of her time being his trophy wife instead of starring in blockbuster movies and happily married to her high school sweetheart Robin Hood.

"Hello Regina," he answered grimly.

"Robert, you've got to help me. Cameron is coming out with another movie with a part in it that would be great for me but his people won't even send me the script!" she shouted. "Do you know who they want in the lead role..fucking Mary Margaret Blanchard and that bitch is gonna get the role because of her fucking daddy!"

Robert sighed. Mary Margaret was the daughter of legendary director Leopold Blanchard and unlike Regina, she did not have a difficult time obtaining roles. They starred in a movie together two years earlier and the tabloids constantly printed stories about Regina's fights with her on and off the set. It taken all Robert's skills as a deal maker to prevent Regina from being fired from the production and being blacklisted in Hollywood as a difficult actress to work with. She mellowed some since her marriage to Robin Hood but once her claws came out, it wasn't easy to push them back in.

"I'll get in touch with them and have them send us a copy of the script and if you still want the part after you read it I'll make them an offer that will have them begging to have you, dearie."

"Robert, you won't regret this!" Regina cried.

Oh, I hope not, he thought. "I'll keep you posted." he said as he disconnected the call and glanced up at the clock. It was almost time for dinner and his son still hadn't come downstairs. Sighing with frustration, he grabbed his cane and started up the stairs to Neal's room. As he suspected the boy was sitting on the floor in front of the television playing a game while listening to music. "Neal, dinner's ready." he called out. "Neal!" The boy ignored him. "Bloody hell!" Robert growled in frustration and yanked the earbuds out of his son's ears.

"Papa!" Neal cried.

"How many times have I told you not to play that thing so damned loud?" he snapped.

"Sorry, Papa. What'd ya want?"

"Dinner's ready."

"Okay, I'm coming."

When he said that, he usually meant in half an hour. "Now," Robert said firmly as he spun on his heels and exited the room with his groaning teenage son behind him. Neal tried his patience at times and Robert loved his son, giving him everything he could possibly want except his mother back in his life. Milah ran out on them when Neal was nine years old for a lowlife conman named Killian Jones, only seeing the boy every other weekend and Robert had no intentions of remarrying. Most women only saw dollar signs when they looked at him anyway. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been on date.

"Hey Papa, ummm..I want to take Emma to a concert next month but ummm my allowance will only cover the cost of one ticket," Neal said nervously during dinner.

Robert looked up from his plate. "What concert and how much were you planning on spending?"

"It's Ligeia. They're our favorite band and I really wanted to get us a VIP pass so we could met them."

"Ligeia? That's the name of a work by Edgar Allen Poe."

"Yeah, they got the name from his stuff. The lead singer reads Poe."

That surprised him. He'd heard the music Neal and his girlfriend listened to and all it did was give him a headache and make him feel like his ears were bleeding. Nor could he understand what they were saying through all the growling and screaming.

"How do you plan on getting there? Neither one of you can drive yet?"

"Well...ahhh...I was gonna rent a limo."

"For a concert?"

"Yeah."

"How much of your allowance do you have to put toward this venture of yours?" Robert inquired.

"A hundred and fifty. That'll cover one ticket but I can't get another ticket, the limo or the VIP pass. Papa, I really want to do this. Here's what I'm offering…"

"I'm listening," Robert murmured as he leaned back in his chair and waited to hear his son's offer. He'd been giving Neal an allowance of one hundred dollars every month since he was ten but he had to earn it by completing a list of household chores every week. He always had an opportunity to earn extra money by making a deal his father would accept.

Negotiating with his father wasn't easy but keeping Emma in mind and how much seeing Ligeia meant to both of them gave Neal the courage he needed to make their dream come true. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to his father. Robert read it over, a smile forming on his lips. "If I'm reading this correctly, you are agreeing to do your weekly chore list three times a week for a month instead of once a week and in exchange I agree to purchase VIP passes and rent a limousine for you and Emma to attend this Ligeia concert?" he asked. Neal nodded. "And you typed this contract up yourself?"

"I did," Neal replied proudly.

Robert grinned. "Then the deal is struck," he said as he reached into his shirt pocket and took out his pen. He signed his name in the blank space underneath his son's and handed the paper back. "Well done, son. Very well done."

"Thank you Papa." Neal said. "Can I go call Emma?"

"Not until we have the arrangements made. Do I need to call to do this or can it be done on the computer?"

"We can do it online."

"Fine. Let's go into my office."

Twenty minutes and minus several thousand dollars later Robert retired to the living room to read. He pulled his collector's edition of Edgar Allen Poe's stories and poems off the bookshelf and opened it to Ligeia.

Who in a band that does nothing but growl and scream would possess enough intelligence to read Edgar Allen Poe? he mused. He became so engrossed in his reading that he couldn't hear his cellphone ringing right away. When he finally picked it up the caller had already given up and didn't leave a message. He pulled up his call log and his assistant's number appeared on the screen.

"You called?" Robert asked as soon as the other man answered.

"Rob, I may have a new client for you." Jefferson Hatter announced.

"Oh? Who?"

"Belle Chamonceaux."

"I've never heard of her. Who is she?"

"She's the lead singer for a rock band that is quite famous overseas but they've just started gaining popularity here in the States. I think we should sign her."

"What band?"

"Ligeia."

"Ligeia?"

"Have you heard of them Rob?"

"No, but my son has. I just spent a fortune getting him and Emma tickets for their concert. They probably have an overseas manager so why would they want me?"

"Not they, her. She wants her own manager because she's thinking of moving here to the States and apparently someone gave her your name."

"A member of a band wanting her own personal manager? That's odd. Who's representing them now?"

"Her father, Maurice."

"She wants to fire her father and hire someone else? That certainly will cause a bit of a ruckus, won't it? Very well. Arrange a meeting with Ms. Chamonceaux."

"That might be a bit difficult with her touring schedule. You said you just bought Neal and Emma tickets to a concert of theirs? Why don't we see if we can set up something after the concert? You should go to the concert too."

"Jeff, that's not our kind of music. How do you expect me to sit through it when it makes my head pound and my ears bleed?"

"You'd do it if you were confident it would earn you another high earning client," Jeff reminded him.

"True. Speaking of clients, Jeff, set up a conference call with James Cameron's people for tomorrow afternoon so that we can get a look at the script for his latest project. Regina wants the lead in it and if it's decent enough, I'll see what I can do about that."

"You do know he has Mary Margaret in mind, right?"

"Yes. The girl may have the looks and be Leopold Blanchard's daughter but she can't act worth a damn and as soon as that shitehole that calls itself Hollywood learns that the better off we'll all be. I didn't put all this time and effort into making Regina famous to see her set aside for a spoiled Hollywood brat."

"I'll get to work on it right away. Now, about Belle Chamonceaux?"

Robert sighed. "I suppose I'll purchasing another ticket for that concert, mix business with displeasure so to speak."

Jefferson chuckled. "Okay. I'll talk to you when come in to the office in the morning."

After Robert disconnected the call he went back to his office and logged back into the website where he'd purchased the VIP passes for Emma and Neal and added another to it. When he went upstairs to talk to Neal the boy was on the phone chatting excitedly with Emma.

"Yeah, a limo and everything. We're going in style, babe!"

"Nine o' clock Neal then I want the lights out and you in bed, understand?" his father ordered.

"Yes, Papa. Emma says thank you. Talk to you tomorrow, Em."

"I'll be thanked properly if you keep to our deal, lad. Your chores, three times a week and no excuses," Robert reminded him.

"I won't break our deal," Neal vowed as he disconnected his call.

"Oh, and I'll be accompanying you to the concert," Robert added.

"Huh? Aww Papa, come on! Me and Em are too old to have a chaperon!" Neal whined.

"Actually this is business. Apparently Belle Chamonceaux is looking for a personal manager and seems interested in me."

"Really! Papa, if you signed her that would be awesome! We'd get free tickets to all their shows. I gotta tell Em!"

"Now hold on lad!" Robert exclaimed just as the boy was about to redial Emma's number. Let's not put the cart before the horse. I said she's interested, not that she'd sign with me and don't you think a member of a band wanting her own manager is kind of odd especially since this means she wants to fire her father as manager? There tensions in this group I should know about?"

"None that I've read about lately fan message boards or magazines," was Neal's reply.

"Then I'll have to question her about it when we meet her."

"Don't you think you should listen to their stuff first," Neal suggested, handing his father a CD case. Robert glanced down at the CD. The artwork was both stunning and disturbing. It was a drawing of a haunted house with a woman standing in front of it, her white gown stained with blood. The title of the CD was Fall of the House of Usher.

"You weren't exaggerating when you said Ms Chamonceaux seems to enjoy reading Poe. Is this just the title of the album or does she actually reference the story in it?"

"Yep. All their albums are from book titles. Fall of the House of Usher was their first album. After that was Grapes of Wrath. Their new album is Scarlet Letter."

"I don't think Poe, Steinbeck and Hawthorne would appreciate some girl using their books as inspiration for trashy music," Robert muttered, handing the disc back to his son. "Hearing it at that concert is going to be painful enough for me."

Neal smirked. "If you say so."

"What's that look for?" his father demanded.

"Nothing," the boy replied yet his expression remained the same.

"Neal Byron Gold, out with it!"

"You'll just be surprised, that's all." Neal said evasively.

"Would you care to elaborate on that?" Robert pressed, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at his son.

"Nope," the boy replied, still smiling.

"All right smartass, just for that I'm going add another chore to your list, one of your favorites. You'll be cleaning the ladies room at my office every day after school," Robert informed his son, with an evil grin.

Neal grimaced. "Eww Papa that means I have to clean up...freakin gross," he grumbled as images of his previous experience cleaning up said room replayed in his mind. Cleaning the ladies restroom in his father's office was more of a punishment than a chore.

"Well then maybe you'll be thinking twice before you decide to be smart with me again, now won't you dearie?"

"Yeah."

"All right then, lights out. You've got school in the morning."

"Night, Papa," Neal lay down and turned his back to his father.

Robert turned off the light and closed the door. Neal lay still for several minutes until he heard his father's bedroom door close. Then he grabbed his phone off the nightstand and had it redial Emma's number, praying she was still awake. She answered immediately.

"Yeah?"

"Em...you are not going to believe this but...Belle Chamonceaux is interested in my papa being her manager!" Neal whispered.

"Why you whispering? Oh shit I forgot. You have to be in bed at nine. Really, can't you get your dad to give you another hour?"

"I gotta play it cool for now since he's helping pay for the concert."

"You said Belle wants your dad to be her manager Are you bullshitting me or is for this real?"

"It's real. And uhhh..he's coming to the concert with us."

"Oh God!" Emma groaned. "Why? What's he gonna wear? A suit and tie? We'll be laughed out of the stadium!"

"I think he's planning on talking to Belle when we meet her after the concert."

"Neal if your dad becomes Belle's manager..."

"I know! We'd have first dibs on everything! Oh and I tried to get him to listen to Usher but he wouldn't. He said it's trash."

"He's nuts! Usher is epic and Belle's a frickin goddess!"

"You think they'll do anything from Usher or just stuff from Scarlet Letter?"

"I dunno. Scarlet Letter just came out so they gotta promote it. It'll probably be mostly stuff from Wrath and that."

"I can't wait to see the look on Papa's face when he hears their stuff. He likes opera and classical music so Ligeia is pretty much right up his alley. Not to mention Belle is hot."

"What'm I, chopped liver?" Emma demanded, unable to disguise the jealousy in her voice.

"Oh, you know you're hot to me babe."

She snorted. "Slick move, Gold. Real slick."

"I gotta get to sleep before Papa comes in here and catches me. Talk to you tomorrow at school."

"Okay."

In his own room Robert was sitting on his bed with his laptop open, reading through and replying to some emails from his clients and business associates, his Ipod playing some selections from his favorite operas. His musical tastes were diverse but he drew the line at the growling and screaming his son called gothic metal, death metal or whatever the hell it was. From what he understood many of the kids who listened to that music had emotional problems yet Neal wasn't like that. They'd always been close but there were times when Robert worried that he'd failed his son by not keeping the boy's mother happy enough to stay with them. He often broached the subject with his therapist but Dr Hopper saw no indications that Neal was ever disappointed in his father or missed his mother.

Out of curiosity he typed the name Ligeia into the search bar of his browser and waited for the results to appear. One directed him to the band's website. He clicked on the link and was taken to a page with links to each band member's biography, clicking on Belle's name. A photograph of a beautiful young woman with auburn hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen. She was not a girl, her birthdate made her thirty-one years old, almost twenty years his junior with an advanced education in both literature and music. As he read further he found himself smiling when he realized they shared some of the same musical and literary interests. On the bottom of her biography was a link to a music video for a song called 'The Haunted Palace' from the album Fall of the House of Usher. He clicked on the link, surprised to hear orchestral music combined with modern guitars, drums, percussion and bass followed by an image of Belle in a torn golden gown standing in front of a palace in decay, a broken crown at her feet. Once the instrumental introduction to the song ended, Belle started walking toward the decaying palace and opened her mouth to sing. He'd been expecting to hear the same growling and screaming that was dominant in other music Neal listened to not a beautiful, operatic yet haunting voice putting music to the words from the poem Poe included in Fall of the House of Usher. He stared at the screen mesmerized both by her beauty and the sadness and longing she expressed through her body movements and her voice. He didn't realize he'd been increasing the volume on his laptop until it reached the maximum limit until he saw his son standing in the doorway, smirking. Robert paused the video.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" he demanded, not quite sure what made him more angry, his son being awake past his bedtime or interrupting him while he was letting himself be seduced by the siren on his laptop screen.

"I told you!" Neal taunted. "Well, what's the verdict?"

"She's...she's...amazing" he murmured.

"She's a frickin' goddess!" Neal exclaimed.

Robert's eyes drifted back to his laptop screen. Oh yes, he thought. In tattered gold behind a pile of rubble yet any man would still want her like they wanted Venus rising from the sea.

Neal watched his father unable to believe what he was seeing. He knew that look. It was the one of a man head over heels in love with a woman, the same one he carried for a year until he finally built up the courage to ask Emma out. His father hadn't dated in a long time and he never liked the women Robert brought home anyway but he would make an exception for his goddess.

Oh my God. My father has a crush...on Belle Chamonceaux!

"You should be getting back to bed lad but before you do, would you mind bringing those CDs in for me?"

"Yeah but if you're gonna have a Ligeia fest I'm not gonna be able to sleep."

Robert scowled. "Nice try, dearie. I'll be putting my headphones on."

"Awww shit!"

"Neal Bryon Gold, language! Or do you want me to break out my old bar of Irish Spring?"

"Sorry Papa."

"I hope you don't talk like that at school."

"No."

"You better not or you'll be getting a soap mouthwash," Robert threatened.

"I don't," Neal lied.

"Off to bed then."

Neal chuckled. Before he started dating Emma, watching Ligeia's videos and dreaming about Belle Chamonceaux was his way of coping with his own loneliness. It wasn't that he didn't have other friends, he did, but they all had girlfriends which left him with nothing else to do on the nights they all went out on dates. Now that Neal was happy, he wanted his father to find his own happiness. It wasn't long before the boy was asleep.

Immediately after his son left the room, Robert put Fall of the House of Usher into his laptop's drive and copied all of the songs so that he could transfer them to his Ipod. When he picked up the case for the second disc Grapes of Wrath he frowned. Unlike the previous CD, this one featured an angry looking Belle on the front cover, squeezing a handful of grapes that dripped blood. He turned the case over and glanced at the tracklist, smiling when he saw she'd done a cover of Queen's Somebody To Love.

He took that CD out and picked up the last one. The cover for it had Belle standing in front of a cemetery wearing a black wedding dress holding a bouquet of black roses with a large red letter F embroidered into the bodice instead of an A as Hester Prynne wore in the classic novel. Bed of Lies, Blissful Ignorance, Buy My Silence, Slaughter My Innocence why am I thinking this album her story? Robert pondered as he inserted the disc. He skipped through to the song Bed of Lies and opened the CD booklet to find the lyrics and as he read through them and listened to them being expressed through her haunting voice, his hands shook with rage. If I ever get my hands on whoever did this to her, I'll kill him!


	2. Chapter 2

"What have you done?" Belle Chamonceaux demanded as she glared at her bandmates, Graham Hunter, August Booth, Leroy Miner, and Marco Toramalli. The three men met her gaze unashamed. "I don't need a personal manager. Papa has been managing everything my affairs and ours just fine all these years. And this bloody American manages actors, not musicians so what help would he be to me?"

"He's not American, he's Scottish and Robert Gold is the best in the business," Leroy replied. "Look at what's done foe Regina Mills. She was a nobody six years ago and now everyone's after her to star in their movies but he only makes deals for her to be in the best of the lot. Plus he can get us more exposure in America. Your papa refuses to do that even though our message boards are burning up with requests from fans to include more places and dates in our US tours. And you don't want to get me started on the other reasons why the hell we all need to get away from him and Gaston but this is more for you than us. We're tired of their shit and we're tired of them giving you shit."

Belle sighed. "Gaston is as much a part of Ligeia as the rest of us are. We can't just boot him out and not expect some backlash. And my father..."

"Belle, stop kidding yourself. You are the heart and soul of this band. Ligeia is nothing without you and we're concerned that if we don't get Maurice and Gaston out of this we'll lose you and we don't want that to happen," Graham spoke up. "Your father treats like you're nothing more than his meal ticket and we're not even going to go into what Gaston does. I don't care how much makeup you put on and what clothes you wear, you aren't hiding a damned thing from us anymore. Fucker's lucky he's not dead yet."

Automatically Belle's hand drifted to her cheek where her makeup concealed another bruise out of hundreds she'd had in the two years she and Gaston had been dating. "I don't want you fighting with him because of me. This is my problem."

"No. It's our problem," Marco said as he sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "We wouldn't have done all of this if we didn't love you, Belle. We gotta get rid of them and this is the only safe way we know how. Just promise us you'll talk to the guy and see what he has to say."

"And I want all of you to promise that we only discuss the band issues, not personal issues. Please. I don't want him to know about...that. Besides, he can't do anything about it."

"I still say we fucking kill Gaston," August growled.

"No!" Belle cried. "Until we find out what this Mr. Gold can do for us, I want you all to carry on like normal. Please?"

"What're you gonna do about the prick?"

"I've already moved out of his flat," Belle responded. "I've been staying at a hotel and we have separate rooms for the LA gig. Papa isn't happy about it but he's just going to have to get used to it. Gaston's going to be here in an hour and we have to rehearse."

"You write any more stuff for the new album?" Graham inquired.

She smiled. "I was thinking of doing a concept album this time. Sorta like The Wall only I wanted to focus on fairy tales or better yet, how twisted I can make them."

The three men grinned. "And you know how to add your own twist to any story," Leroy said proudly.

Belle reached into her bag and handed them a sheaf of papers. She'd written the lyrics to several songs for a new album and also a story version for each one. Concept albums were usually hit or miss with fans but Belle always composed material the silenced even the harshest critics. She'd been asked to collaborate on albums or songs for other bands however the financial compensation Maurice requested for Belle's voice or composition was so high that they soon forgot their offers and recruited other artists. When she thought about the opportunities she missed working with other artists it made her more determined to meet with this Robert Gold. While the rest of her band mates played a game of Call of Duty on their Xbox Belle booted up her laptop to do some research on Robert Gold. He had originally lived in Scotland but moved to the US in his twenties. He started his professional career out as an attorney with a firm in a town called Storybrooke, Maine but left the practice after ten years due to personal issues that the newspaper she'd located failed to elaborate on. He then owned his own pawn brokerage and antiquities business that he closed so that he could focus on managing the career of his goddaughter, Regina Mills.

Her research took her to his business website. There was a photograph that accompanied his profile. He was in his early fifties with shoulder length brown hair with patches of grey and brown eyes. He gripped a cane in his hands and she wondered if it was simply a prop to make him appear more distinguished or if he needed it to walk due to some sort of disability with his legs and the expression on his face was one that gave the impression that he was a force to be reckoned with if crossed. His profile also stated that he had one child, a son aged sixteen and was divorced.

A loud crash startled her and she nearly dropped her laptop. She looked up and saw Gaston staggering over to his keyboards and quickly turned the laptop off.

Drunk again...or high. she thought angrily.

"We gonna do this or what?" he bellowed.

Graham and Marco ran over to him and grabbed him by the arms, shoving him against the wall. "You're not doing anything since you're so fucked up you can't even walk straight. Get the hell out of here and sleep it off," Graham growled.

"You gonna make me?" Gaston challenged.

"Gaston, just go sleep it off," Belle ordered.

He broke free of the two mens' grasp and approached Belle, leering at her. "Don't act like you've never gotten this shitfaced, bitch."

"I've been drunk before, yes but not before a gig. Either sober up or we go on without you. Choice is yours," Belle said firmly. She knew the rest of the band going on stage without him would wound his already inflated ego more than his actions while drunk. They'd done it before and the fans barely noticed it. The press had and there'd been several stories published hinting at alcohol and drug abuse in the band until Maurice ground them to a halt. They all drank on occasion but Gaston was the only one who overdid it and all of them tried marijuana at least once. Belle hadn't been impressed and never touched it after Gaston shared one of his joints with her and if the others smoked it, they hid it well. She suspected if Gaston was high, it was on something other than marijuana.

"Little cu..."

"You even think about finishing that word and you'll be sleeping permanently," Belle hissed. "Get him out of here," she commanded her other band mates who were more than happy to oblige. While they were escorting him out she started her laptop again and opened up her email program. She was still composing her message when they returned. "We need to make a decision about what to do once Gaston is gone. Do we replace him with someone else or stay as we are? Leroy, you play the keyboards as good as he does, even better and you already fill in when he isn't there."

"Yeah. Don't see the reason for bringing someone else on when we don't need to. I say we dump his ass now."

"It may not be as easy as we think, which is why we might want to see if Mr. Gold wants to represent us."

"You writing to him now?"

"Yes."

The men decided to rehearse while Belle worked on the email she planned to send. Once she was finished she put away her laptop and joined the rehearsal.

"...Do you want to explain to me why you excluded Gaston from another show?" her father demanded when he called her after the concert that night. "He was a bit exhausted..."

"He was higher than a fucking kite Papa!" Belle fumed. "This is the sixth time he's been too wasted to perform during this tour and we're getting tired of it like we're getting tired of you making excuses for him."

"He's like the son I never had."

"And you've reminded me of that fact for years," Belle said bitterly. They'd been so close when she was a child but once she started dating Gaston her father showered more attention on him than her no matter what she did. He also gave Gaston more credit for the success of Ligeia than his daughter only because he managed to write a song here and there. Most of them stayed on demo tapes. If he ever noticed the bruises she received, Maurice never commented on them or he lay the blame at her feet. "Papa, we need to talk about this but not right now."

"There's nothing to discuss. He's not leaving the band."

"As I said, we are talking about this," Belle remonstrated as she disconnected the call and opened her email program, relieved when she noticed there was a message from Robert Gold.

I will be attending the show here in LA. My son Neal and his girlfriend Emma are fans and I purchased backstage passes so that they could meet you in person. We can use part that time to discuss your situation but I will not be able to make a final decision immediately.

Robert Gold

She smiled. He was a clever one and so was his son from the looks of it. She had no doubt he'd told the boy she was thinking of asking him to become their manager and they'd come up with a way to meet that would leave both her father and Gaston in the dark until it was too late.

"They call you The Dealmaker," she murmured. "Well, let's see how good you are and if you can get me out of this hell I call my life."


	3. Chapter 3

Robert Gold had a migraine and her name was Regina Mills. She'd been burning up his phone wires with constant calls about her status in the new James Cameron film. Cameron, however was refusing to budge an inch. He wanted Mary Margaret in the role but Robert wasn't backing down either. This was the perfect opportunity to showcase Regina's talent, particularly her ability to play villians. He could still remember her dazzling the audience as a teenager with her performance as the wicked stepmother in her high school's production of Snow White. Imagining Mary Margaret in the villian role of the script he was reading was enough to lighten his mood for the time being. The film would flop. No one would ever believe that Miss Goody Two Shoes Mary was capable of playing a woman so ruthless she would even sell out her own family to get what she wanted. If he couldn't get Cameron to budge he would have to work on Mary Margaret. He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello," a man answered.

"I have a job for you," Robert informed him.

"Rob! Thank God. I was starting to get bored around here!" Sidney Glass exclaimed.

"What? You mean the late night excursions you make looking into the trash cans of Tinseltown hasn't gotten you any good stories for your scandal rag? You must be losing your touch, mate."

The tabloid journalist chuckled. "They've been beefing up their security, dammit all and my best photographer quit because we haven't been able to give him a raise. I'm trying to break in a new guy now. So what's the job?"

"I need something to bring Miss Goody Two Shoes Mary off her shiny pedestal and I need it yesterday."

"Dethroning one of Hollywood's princesses? I'm liking this."

"Can you deliver?"

"Have I ever let you down before?"

"No, you haven't. Before you start on that however, there's job I have for you. Find out everything you can get your hands on about an Australian rock band called Ligeia. Specifically for any rumors about problems in the band."

"I can call a friend who lives there. You need it yesterday too?"

"Yes. I've been contacted by the lead singer about representing them."

"I'll get right on it."

After hanging up with Sidney Robert checked his email. Most of it was correspondance with other clients. He went through them and sent off brief replies then deleted them. There was one final unread message in his account. When he recognized the email address he smiled. It was from Belle.

I must be honest, Mr. Gold. It was my bandmates who first contacted you, not I. However, due to some issues that have arisen, I am in agreement with them that changes must be made for the better with this band. We will discuss those more in detail when we meet. I'm also looking forward to meeting your son and his Emma. I understand our music may not be your cup of tea but I do hope you enjoy the show.

Belle Chamonceaux

Despite his correspondances hinting the opposite, he was eager to accept Belle Chamonceaux as a client for she had the potential to be more than just the frontwoman of a gothic rock band, more than even Regina Mills hoped to be...if she'd let him show her how.

Later on in the day he locked up his office and went to check to be certain his son was keeping up his end of the deal they struck. The boy emerged from the ladies' room pushing his mop cart over to the supply closet, scowling with disgust.

"All done in there, lad?"

"Yeah."

Robert fished a pair of white gloves out of his coat pocket. "I better not find one speck of dirt in there or you'll be doing it all again." It was no idle threat. The first time Neal had been given this cleaning assignment, the entire bathroom had to be done over three times until his father was satisfied.

"Look all you want Papa, you won't find anything," the boy bragged.

"Confident, are we?"

"Yep," Neal said smugly. Robert shook his head and opened the door. As he inspected the immaculately clean room, he never felt more proud of his son. He cleaned worse toilets than this when he was boy back in Scotland but it was well worth the pounds in his bank account at the end of the week, the pounds that accumlated into part of the vast fortune he now had. When he exited the bathroom his son had already locked his cleaning supplies in the storage room.

"Go run the trash out lad and we'll head home."

"Okay. Ummm, Papa, Emma wants to know if she can come over tonight. We've got a Chemistry test this week and she wants to study together. We'll go up in my room."

"The door stays open. Understand?"

"Awww come on Papa!" Neal whined. "I'm sixteen, not six!"

"Yes and there will be a member of the opposite sex in your room. You can study for your test but keep your wandering hands to yourself and your clothes on. And if you two are doing anything when I'm not at home you'd better be using protection. The last thing I need is Emma's father at the door with a shotgun and your chances of a great career going down the drain because you couldn't keep it in your pants."

"Yes, Papa," Neal muttered.

They picked Emma up a few minutes later.

"Did you have dinner yet, Emma?"

"No, Mr. Gold."

"I'll pick up a pizza then."

"Awesome. Thanks Mr. G."

"Granny's gonna be mad," Neal warned. Their housekeeper, Gloria Lucas, whom Neal affectionately called "Granny" had been working for them since Neal was a baby and now that she was getting older, her granddaughter Ruby was starting to take over her more difficult tasks as did Neal. Robert handled the lawnwork himself.

"She'll have to settle for making dessert then."

Neal and Emma went up to his room immediately after they ate while Robert took a nap in his study. They'd been studying Chemistry for an hour and were quickly bored. Emma reached into her bag and took out a DVD. She handed it to Neal.

"You got the Wrath tour DVD!" he cried excitedly. "I was gonna get it but I saved everything up to get tickets for this tour. Put it in!"

This was a dream Robert wasn't looking forward to waking up from just yet. He was sitting on the beach staring out at the water when he could hear Belle Chamonceaux's beautifully seductive voice singing his favorite song from Grapes of Wrath, Aria Of the Lonely. Then he felt a light touch on his shoulder and looked up to see her standing beside him wearing a blue satin dress that was the same shade of her eyes. She sat down beside him.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly.

"How crazy this is. I haven't even met you in person yet but I can't stop thinking about you," he muttered. "And now you're invading my dreams too. What are you? Some kind of witch hell bent on making go out of my mind? Even when I do meet you, there's not a chance in hell you'd want me."

"Why?"

"Why? I'm a ugly middle aged single father and you are beautiful and talented enough that you can have any man on this earth you want," he said sadly.

"Maybe looks and age aren't important to me. Maybe I want what I see inside."

He scoffed. "Then you'd be a rare breed because it's been my experience women are only interested in two things from a man: looks and money."

"Not all of us, Robert."

"Go away, Belle."

"Are you going to do this when we meet?"

"Do what?"

"Push me away."

"I won't have to. There'll be nothing but business between us."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I am sure now would you please go the fuck away!" he hissed.

"You won't be able to get rid of me that easily. I'm already on your mind and in your dreams. I'll find a way into your heart too."

"Well, good luck with that one, dearie," he growled sarcastically.

When he opened his eyes he could hear the same haunting opening notes from Aria Of The Lonely. He groaned and covered his face with his hands, wanting desperately to break something to soothe the frustration that was taking over him. When he heard his phone ring and took a glance at this display, his frustration evolved into blind rage.

"What the hell do you want, Milah?" he seethed.

"Well, ummmm, I was wondering if you could send next month's check a little early and make it a little bit...more? The rent's due and I...I'm short."

"Oh, then I'm assuming that the latest scheme that worthless piece of shit you live with tried to pull blew up in his face?" Robert asked hopefully. "I'll pay you the amount I owe you and no more." he added coldly.

"Then you can explain to our son why his mother is out on the street!" Milah retorted. Robert's free hand clenched into a fist. "Oh, that's right. You don't have the balls," she snickered. "Nor do you want him to hate you, do you Rob? And he would hate you if you did that to me," she purred, twisting the knife in further with every word. She'd used their son as leverage over him in every battle they ever fought but Robert loved his son too much to make the boy think less of his mother.

"Bitch," he growled. "All right then you'll have your bloody fucking check!" he shouted. "But I warn you Milah, I can cut you off before Neal turns eighteen if I see fit."

"No you can't," she challenged.

"You might want to read up on that, dearie because I can."

The call was suddenly disconnected. He grabbed his cane. "Neal, I'm going to the basement!" he yelled upstairs.

"Oh shit!" Neal groaned as he pressed the pause button on the DVD player remote.

"What's wrong?" Emma inquired.

"Papa's going to the basement."

"Why is that a problem?"

"He's going down there to beat the shit out of something. Only does it when someone really pisses him off. Usually it's my mom."

"Why does she piss him off so bad he wants to go down to the basement and beat the shit out of something. He didn't hit her, did he?"

"Never! They got into some pretty good screaming matches but my papa never laid a hand on her. She tried to say he did though. She's a bitch. Doesn't care about either one of us. All she wants is Papa's money."

"That really sucks Neal. Do you ever see her?"

"Yeah every other weekend, though I don't want to. After I turn eighteen I'm telling her to stay away."

They heard a crash.

"You think we should make sure he's okay?"

"He's okay. I don't go anywhere near the basement until he's done. Wouldn't be able to get in anyway because he locks the door."

Robert sank down in a chair panting heavily, his cane slipping out of his hands and crashing to floor. This time the object of his wrath was a spice rack he made for his wife after they were married. It had taken him weeks to build and she'd kissed him passionately when he presented it to her. He'd assumed she would take it with her when they divorced but she'd just tossed it down in the basement along with many other gifts he'd given her as if they were nothing.

Then there was this infatuation with Belle Chamonceaux.

"Bitches," he grumbled. "All of them. Greedy little bitches even ones who sound like a goddess. It'll be business. Nothing more."


	4. Chapter 4

Robert stood in front of his open closet, hands on his hips while his son sat on the bed.

"Papa, you can't wear a suit to the concert," Neal advised him. "You'll stick out like a..."

"I know that!" Robert exclaimed. "I've been to a concert before, lad."

"When? In the Seventies?"

Robert scowled. "For your information it was, smartass!" he retorted.

"Okay, don't bite my head off!" Neal cried. His father was more on edge than usual this evening and he knew it had to do with meeting Belle Chamonceaux. Can't say I blame him. She's frickin hot, he thought.

"The hell with it! I'll just go buy something!" Robert growled as he walked out of the room. "Call Emma and tell her we're going to be a bit late, would you?"

"Ummm...okay." He waited until he heard the door of his father's Cadillac slam before he went to his own room and called Emma. His father returned half an hour later, still in a fury.

"This better be worth it," Robert muttered as he slammed his bedroom door shut and took out the outfit he'd purchased, a blue button down shirt, black jeans and a pair of boots. When he put them on and glanced at his reflection in the mirror, he saw an older version of the man he used to be, the one who rarely had an unkind word for anyone and would do anything for them. The one who thought he had the perfect life, and the perfect wife.

Everyone fucks you over eventually, Rob, his old boss Zack used to tell him. You either learn to fuck 'em back or you might as well lay there and learn to like it.

You taught me too well, you old son of a bitch. Didn't realize it until I bought the pawn shop right out from under you. It should've been mine anyway. I did all the work and you took all the fucking credit. No one takes credit for my work anymore.

"Papa, you ready to...wow, do you look different!" Neal gasped as he stared at a man he barely recognized as his father. He'd never seen him in anything other than a dress shirt and slacks.

"This make me stick out, lad?"

"Ehhh, not really."

"Well then we'd better get going before Emma starts climbing the walls," Robert said as he put on his sunglasses.

"Neal, you sure you didn't lock your dad up somewhere and this is his twin?" Emma whispered to him while they were enroute to the concert.

"No. Why?"

"Just...wondering," she mumbled.

Just wondering why the hell I didn't notice a nice ass ran in the family before, she thought wickedly. Damn, Mr G, why the hell don't you dress like that more often?

"Is everything okay?" Robert asked as he glanced over at the younger couple.

"Oh, we're good Mr. G," Emma replied with a smile. Neal glared at her.

This is just great. Now my girlfriend is eyeing up my father, he thought bitterly. "Don't think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours," he hissed at Emma.

"Well you think Belle is hot and your dad looks hot right now so we're even!" she whispered back.

"Fine."

To Robert's surprise he spotted a few people around his age in the audience and suddenly he didn't feel so old. They were escorted to their seats in the first row, Emma and Neal barely able to contain their excitement. Robert smiled.

"Who's opening?" Emma asked Neal.

"The Wicked Stepchildren."

"Eh, some of their older stuff is good but Ashley is no Belle."

"I'm assuming you're talking about the opening act?" Robert inquired.

"Yeah."

Minutes later a band came on state followed by a young woman wearing a tight blue corset, miniskirt, boots and blond hair with blue streaks in it. As she and one of her bandmates began to sing, Robert wished he'd brought a bag of cotton balls or ear plugs. The girl's voice he could handle when she wasn't growling like her male counterpart.

I hope to hell these idiots aren't looking for a new manager. I'd tell them to hang it up.

"Does she always screech like that?" he asked Neal.

"Yeah."

"And you like this band?"

"Yeah. Ashley's not bad but she's not Belle either."

"No, she's not."

During the opening act, Robert alternated between checking his watch and looking for the nearest exit. He was in agony while his son and Emma seemed to be enjoying themselves. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Ashley bid goodnight to the audience.

"Here they come!" Emma screamed. "Oh my God, Neal look!"

"I'm looking!" he called back.

Robert cared less about the other band members, the one he wanted to see still hadn't made her appearance. Finally a spotlight appeared on the corner of the stage and Belle walked out slowly in the same black wedding dress she was wearing on the cover of Scarlet Letter carrying a bouquet of black roses.

Standing on the scaffold that bears my name

I wear the scarlet letter that reveals my shame... she sang, moving closer to the front of the stage until she was less than a few feet away from where Robert sat, entranced.

Just business, nothing more... he chanted until the bouquet of black roses Belle had been holding somehow ended up in his lap.

"Oh my God...that was freakin awesome!" Neal crowed after the first song ended. "Did you see that Em! She aimed 'em right at him!"

"Yeah. Now if we can just get August to throw a guitar pick down my shirt..." she teased. He glared at her.

"Wh...What did she do that for?" Rober mused aloud.

"They always throw stuff into the crowd," Neal explained.

"Nice touch," he murmured.

"Hello everybody!" Belle called out. "We've got a pretty intense show prepared for you tonight with a little mix from Scarlet Letter, Wrath and Usher so you better hold onto your seats. We took it down with Scarlet Letter so let's take it back up with another one from Scarlet Letter called Blissful Ignorance!" She tore the veil from her head and tossed it at Emma. The teenager squealed with delight.

"There will come a day

When the world can no longer look away

And we the unwanted will stand tall

Watching the walls of your blissful ignorance fall!'

Her voice had taken on an edge in this song meant to inspire courage in the hearts of children and teenagers whom everyone either turned their backs on or bullied, the way Robert was by first his father then from the children in his school. Even after all these years there were times when he could hear his father telling him he'd amount to nothing and the other kids in school laughing at him when he was more interested in learning than playing. He didn't give a damn when happened to any of them once he left Scotland. He was lost in his thoughts and hadn't noticed Belle's exit.

"Where'd she go," he demanded of his son.

"Dress change I think."

He frowned. "So she makes us all wait while she changes her clothes? What's the point of it? At least the bands I went to see didn't change their clothes five hundred times even Freddie Mercury wasn't like that."

"Who's that?" Emma asked.

Robert's eyes nearly came out of their sockets. "You don't know who Queen is? Even my son knows who they are!"

"Kinda had to since you listened to that stuff a lot. Wonder if they're gonna do 'Somebody To Love' tonight," Neal mused.

"I like that song I didn't think Belle wrote stuff like that." Emma said.

"That's because she didn't. It's a cover of Queen's version and luckily she didn't butcher it," Robert muttered then his breath caught in his throat when Belle came back onstage in her torn golden gown.

"Now let's take a trip back in time to...The Haunted Palace!" she announced.

You never give up, do you little siren, he thought. Just when I think I can distance myself you reel me back in. Me and every other male in this damned audience. His grip tightened around the bouquet of black roses she'd tossed into his lap earlier. If she was modifying her performance to convince him to take her on as his client it was not necessary. He knew from the moment he first listened to this particular song that she would a valuable asset to his growing star collection and like the broker he used to be, he wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to increase his own fortunes.

Until that bitch I call an ex-wife calls me and wants a chunk of it.

"Hey Em, did you notice Gaston isn't playing?" Neal asked Emma when the song ended.

"Yeah."

"Who's Gaston?" Robert asked.

"Their keyboard player. He and Belle are kinda...dating."

"Oh, I see." Robert muttered jealously.

Why are you surprised? he asked himself. You should've known she had someone. He scowled and handed the black rose bouquet to Emma. His hands clenched into fists again when he heard singing the opening to Aria of the Lonely. It was his song, it would always be his song no matter how good he tried to be.

"My time of hope and love is done

This sold out venue now seats only one

My band the ghosts of lovers and friends long gone

The setlist their songs of joy they've moved on

No one left to sing with me

The aria of the lonely..."


	5. Chapter 5

Belle paced the floor of her dressing room nervously as she waited for her bodyguard Mulan to bring Robert Gold, his son and his son's girlfriend backstage to meet with them. She barely recognized him when she first saw him sitting in the front row. He'd forsaken his three piece business suit for a simple blue shirt and jeans that made him look younger than fifty-two. Although her music probably wasn't something he listened to on a daily basis she made up her mind to show him why he would be a fool not to take her as a client by putting all her heart and soul into her performance as she always did. At first it seemed to be working but not in a way she expected. When his brown eyes met hers there was more than a professional interest and damned if she wasn't finding herself responding to it. Before she realized she was doing it, she tossed her black rose bouquet directly into his lap. She'd done this at every concert but never aimed at a specific person before.

Just before she began Aria he, his son and the girl with them were holding a conversation and after this she noticed his demeanor change. Gone was the man who was stirring a fire in her blood; he'd been replaced by the cold businessman. He'd also given the roses she threw to him to the girl that accompanied them.

Please don't let me be making a mistake, she thought.

"Belle?" she heard Mulan calling from the other side of the door.

"Yes?"

"There's a Mr. Gold here with two kids. They have backstage passes."

"You can go ahead and bring them in." She grabbed a brush and ran it through her hair one more time and took a deep breath before the door opened revealing a stoic Mr. Gold and two very excited teenagers.

"Oh...my...God!" the girl exclaimed. "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you!" She elbowed her companion in the shoulder. "Neal, tell me I'm not dreaming!"

Belle laughed softly. "You're not dreaming. I'm very pleased to meet you," she said as she held out her hand, the girl's trembling as she shook it.

"I'm Emma Swan but everyone calls me Em."

"And you must be Neal," she said to the boy. He blushed.

"You...are...a frickin' goddess!" the boy stammered.

"Ummm, not really but thank you." Belle giggled as she shook his hand.

"Ms. Chamonceaux," Robert Gold greeted stiffly in a slight Scottish accent and shook her hand briefly.

"You can call me Belle. Emma, Neal, would you like to meet with the rest of the band members while yout father and I talk for a bit?"

"Yes!" they chorused.

"I expect both of you to be on your best behavior," Robert warned.

"We will, Papa." Neal promised.

"Mulan will take you to their room."

"Cool!"

Now that she and Robert were alone in the room, Belle was having a difficult time keeping her composure while he stood as still as a statue, his hand gripping the handle of his gold tipped cane so tightly his knuckles were white.

"Ummm, why don't you sit down?" she suggested. He limped over to the sofa and opened the briefcase he carried in his other hand while Belle took a seat in a chair across from him.

"You mentioned in your last correspondance that you weren't interested in new management but there were situations that arose changing your opinion on the issue."

"That's true. The primary issues we're having are with my father and our keyboard player Gaston."

"Your father has been representing you since the beginning?" he asked as he jotted down some notes on a pad.

"Yes."

"And why have you grown dissatisfied with his decisions for the band?"

"I don't know where to start."

"And this Gaston...?" he pressed, his eyes darkening.

She sighed. "Well...ummm...Gaston and I were...involved for a while but I broke it off. He doesn't want to accept that and we've been having arguments but that's not the issue. The issue is that we've had to perform six shows without him this year."

"He's been missing performances?"

"It's not that he doesn't try to show up. He does but..." She sighed again. "He's either been too drunk or too high to go on."

"Let me make one thing clear, dearie, I do not represent drunks or drug addicts and if he is not the only member of this band with a substance abuse problem then I suggest you look for someone else to represent you."

"He is the only one."

"Is your father aware of this?"

"He's been told but my father is always making excuses for him. You see, since Gaston and I grew up together my father sees him as the son he never had. The only solution we seem to have is firing both of them but I know Gaston would fight me tooth and nail because he thinks there wouldn't be a Ligeia without him."

"Other than being short sighted as far as this Gaston is concerned are there any other reasons why you no longer feel confident your father's representation?"

"We seem to have a strong fanbase in the US but as you can see we have very few tour dates here. We've spoken to my father many times about adding new shows to this leg of the tour but he argues that the venues here are too small and won't make us much money. Also, I...I've been wanting to do projects outside of Ligeia but my father makes unreasonable demands that make other people not want to work with me. Mr. Gold..."

"Robert," he corrected.

"Oh ummm...Robert, I'm sorry if this is all such a mess and if you don't want to get involved...I won't be offended."

"I'm used to dealing with messes," he replied. "And I need to be honest with you, it is not going to be easy to remove either one of them. We may have to go to court."

"Do you really think it will go that far?"

"I'd be disappointed if it didn't. One thing you should understand about me dearie, is that I'm not afraid to rake someone over the coals if it benefits me and my client, family or not," he cautioned.

You really are as shrewd as they say, she mused but hadn't realized she said aloud until she saw the menacing grin on his lips.

"Beastly, dearie. That bother you?"

It should.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see. We should go find your son and Emma," she suggested.

When they walked into the other dressing room they found everyone else gathered around the Xbox, engrossed in a game of Call of Duty.

"Awww fuckkkkkk!" Neal groaned in frustration.

"Neal Byron Gold, what was that I just heard coming out of your mouth!?" Robert demanded. The boy turned around, his face pale when he spotted his father in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest giving him The Look.

"Ummm...sorry Papa," the boy muttered.

"I see you've been busy," Belle said to her band mates and went about introducing the other members to Robert. "Mr. Gold has decided to represent us."

"Good," Leroy muttered.

"Awesome!" Neal exclaimed and threw his arms around his father.

"Don't be thinking this'll get you out of trouble that easily," Robert cautioned yet he hugged his son back.

Belle watched the interaction between father and son with a smile. It was clear that although Mr. Gold was cold and calculating when it came to business, his demeanor changed when he was around his son. He clearly loved the boy even when he was misbehaving. It made her wish her father would've loved her more. She tried for years to get him to do so, oh how she'd tried but once Gaston came into their lives, there was no room in her father's heart for anyone else but him because he was the son Belle never could be.

"I should be getting the kids home," Robert said an hour later. "I'd like to meet with all of you in my office tomorrow afternoon."

"That'll be fine," Belle said.

"Aww come on Mr G! Can't we stay longer?" Emma protested.

"You both have school in the morning Emma," Robert reminded her.

"And you need your sleep so you can pay attention in class," Belle added.

"Boring!" Emma muttered.

"An education is important Emma," Belle lectured. "You can get a great job with one. Tell me, what would you like to do?"

"Ummm, I've been thinking about being a cop."

"You can't be one if you don't get good grades in school."

Robert couldn't resist smiling as he heard the young woman lecturing his son's headstrong girlfriend on the importance of an education. It was a lecture he had to give Neal when the boy's grades started slipping.

They said their goodbyes and Mulan escorted them outside to their awaiting limo. Neal and Emma were still excited about the concert.

"Now then," Robert said once he and Neal were back home. "What should we do about that little slip of the tongue earlier, hmmm dearie?"

"Papa, I really didn't mean to..."

"Try again."

Neal sighed. "Okay, okay...it's not the first time I've said it."

"I think a fitting punishment for having a mouth like a toilet is cleaning some. Now you can add cleaning the mens' room in my office to your chores for this month."

"That's even worse the the other bathroom!" Neal cried.

"No worse than the toilets I used to clean back in Scotland, lad. Consider yourself lucky. Remember that scene in Trainspotting where the guy crawls in the filthy toilet?"

"Ewww...yeah! It's worse than the dead baby crawing on the ceiling!" Neal exclaimed and cringed. "You really had to clean bathrooms that looked that gross?"

"It was a job," his father said nonchalantly. "Off to bed with you!"

Alone in his room, Robert reviewed the events of the evening in his mind. Belle Chamonceaux was a puzzle, a siren one minute and a hellion the next but given what she'd told him about her father, he neglected her as much when she was a child as his own father did. As for that Gaston, he had his suspicions that alcohol and drug use weren't the only problems she had with the bastard but he knew she would not be willing to discuss that or hid the bruises just like his mother did. He glanced over at the cane propped up beside his nightstand, images of breaking skulls with it flashing before his eyes. Then he could see her, her blue eyes pleading with him to stop, that it wasn't worth it.

It would be to me, he thought angrily. There were many ways Robert Gold had of being a bastard and he was determined that Maurice Chamonceaux and Gaston experienced all the worst ones.


	6. Chapter 6

She remembered the castle well, having stayed there while they were shooting the video for 'Haunted Palace'. The CGI department added the effects of decay while the castle itself was kept in perfect condition. The skirt of her golden gown swept across the marble floors as she walked behind a long haired man dressed in brown leather pants and waistcoat. When they reached the end of the corridor he snapped his fingers and a set of double doors opened. They entered what looked like a dining room with a long wooden table that only had one chair at the head of it. In the far corner of the room was a spinning wheel and realized that she was now somehow a character in the story she'd been writing and that her host was a combination of two legendary fairy tales, Rumplestiltskin and the Beast from Beauty and The Beast. In her version of the story Rumplestiltskin had been a lovable but cowardly family man who turned evil after he killed a dark sorcerer and took his powers.

Belle often dreamed about her stories but never before had she found herself or anyone she knew, or barely knew in this case playing a central role in one of them. She'd just started writing her own version of how her beautiful namesake from the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast came to be the beast's prisoner and it wasn't by taking her father's place as the man's prisoner. Instead she'd changed the story and made the beauty's father a nobleman trying to protect his lands from giant ogres destroying them and in desperation they summoned the infamous Rumplestiltskin.

The first scene she'd written took place in what looked like a throne room. Her own father sat in the elegant chair playing the part of the beauty's father and Gaston was playing the part of her unwanted fiance. They were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the dark sorcerer but their hopes were quickly dwindling away with every passing minute.

"He could be on his way right now Papa," she insisted as she kneeled beside her father's chair.

"It's too late my girl. It's too late," her father said sadly.

They heard a loud banging on the barred door.

"That's him. It has to be him!" she cried excitedly while several guards went to open the door while her father pondered how he could've gotten past the walls, forgetting that as a sorcerer he could do just that but when they opened the door there was no one there.

"Well, that was a bit of a letdown!" they heard a high pitched voice speak from behind them followed by a giggle. Belle was shocked to see Robert Gold lounging in her father's chair. His hair was longer with curls, his skin was darker and instead of a three piece business suit or shirt and jeans, he was still recognizable and she was forced to admit that he wore leather very well.

What the hell is he doing in my dreams...in this one!? she thought.

"You sent me a message. Something about...Help! Help! We're dying. Can you save us?" Robert went on in the same high pitched voice as he got out of the chair and tossed a figurine of a castle to someone while Gaston pointed a sword at him that he smacked down as if it were nothing more an a fly on his arm. "Well the answer is...yes, I can.. Yes, I can protect your little town. For a price."

"We sent you a promise of gold," her father reminded him.

"Ah now you see I ummm...make gold. What I want is something a bit more special. My price...is her." He pointed over at Belle.

"No!" her father protested.

Gaston pushed her behind him. "The young lady is engaged...to me."

Only in your dreams, asshole.

"I wasn't asking if she was engaged. I'm not looking for love. I'm looking for a caretaker...for my rather large estate. It's her or no deal," Robert said firmly.

"Get out. Leave!" Her father commanded, pointing at the door while Gaston pushed Belle further back.

Robert started walking toward the door. "As you wish."

"No, wait!" Belle cried out. Robert paused at the sound of her voice and turned around to look at him. She emerged out from behind Gaston and walked over to the dark sorcerer and met his eyes. "I will go with him." Robert rubbed his hands together with glee and giggled

"I forbid it Belle," Gaston spoke up.

You always did enjoy trying to boss me around, didn't you, you bastard.

"No one decides my fate but me!" Belle declared. "I shall go."

"It's forever dearie," Robert cautioned.

"My family, my friends...they will all live?" Belle inquired.

"You have my word."

"And you have mine. I will go with you, forever!"

"Deal!"

"Belle, Belle you cannot do this! Belle, please! You cannot go with this.. beast," Her father pleaded.

Robert stood there with his eyes widened, his mouth agape as if to say "Who? Me? No."

"Father, Gaston. It's been decided."

"You know," Robert said as he came up behind her. "She's right. The deal is struck. Oh, congratulations on your little war!" he added with a giggle as his parting shot while he lead his beautiful prize away.

Someone pounding on her door dragged her out of her slumber. She jumped out of bed and opened it to reveal a very drunk Gaston.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she grumbled.

"I don't care you fucking bitch!" he yelled. "What the fuck was Robert Gold doing in your dressing room tonight?" he demanded.

"If you must know his son and girlfriend had VIP passes," she answered. "And how the hell did you find out he was there? One of your little groupies text you about it?"

Doesn't matter how I found out. What are you up to? You thinking about kicking your old man and me out? Bette think again because there ain't gonna be no Ligeia without me."

"We've been doing just fine without you...get your hands off me!" Belle screamed when he seized her arms.

"What're you gonna do, huh? Call the cops? Don't think so." He grabbed her cellphone and threw it against the wall. "You're not cutting me out!" he yelled as he pushed her to the floor. As he delivered one painful blow after another she fought him with every once of strength she had and when it failed her she used the only weapon she had left, her voice. She screamed over and over until she felt his hands closing around her throat.

I was almost free, she thought as she lapsed into unconsciousness.

She was once again back in that old castle following Robert as he led her through the dining room down a long stone hallway. She still didn't understand why he was becoming such a crucial element in her story but it no longer mattered. She wasn't going to live long enough to find out.

"Where are you taking me?" she inquired.

"Let's call it...your room," he answered as a door opened to reveal an empty room with dark stone walls and a single window with bars on it."

"My room?" She gasped in horror.

"Well it sounds a lot nicer than dungeon," he quipped as he shoved her inside and locked the door, giggling mischievously as she pounded on it.

"You can't just leave me in here! Hello! Hello?" she called out. When he didn't respond she sank to the floor and burst into tears.

Remember what you're doing this for, Belle. Your people will be safe as long as you keep your end of the deal. Rumplestiltskin is not one to break deals with. It's said that he can pull your heart out of your chest and make you watch while he crushes it to dust before your eyes.

She dried her eyes with the skirt of her dress. If this was going to be her life now she would have to make the best of it. After several hours the door opened and Robert stood on the other side, smirking.

"Well, don't sit there dawdling. Time to get to work, dearie. It's my tea time. You do know how to make tea, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then follow me," he commanded. His kitchen was similar to the one at her family's manor and against her father's wishes she'd managed to spend a great deal of time in them learning how to cook She enjoyed cooking as much as she enjoyed reading. She found a tea service in the cupboard and filled the pot with fresh tea. Robert was sitting at the table when she carried the tray in.

"You will serve me my meals and you will clean the Dark Castle."

"I understand," Belle said nervously.

"You will dust my collection and launder my clothing."

"Got it."

She filled one of the cups and was about to hand it to him.

"Oh, and you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts." She gasped, the tea cup slipping out of her hands. "That one was a quip. Not serious."

"Uhhh...right," she muttered as she kneeled down to pick up the cup, a difficult task in her elegant gown. "My. I'm so sorry but, uh... It's.. it's chipped. You—you can hardly see it." she stammered, her heart beating with dread as she imagined him plunging his hand into her chest and tearing it out.

"It's just a cup," he said nonchalantly. "My tea?"

"Oh...of course." She filled one of the other cups and handed it to him.

"And I expect you to wear an outfit more suited for your position as caretaker. Can't get much work down running around in that," he added and giggled.

"But I don't have..."

He waved his hand and a dress appeared on the table. It was blue with a white collar. "This should be sufficient. Go on and change. Lots of work to be done. Dinner time is at six."

Maybe he isn't so terrible after all.


	7. Chapter 7

"Papa...Papa, wake up!" Neal cried as he shook his father's shoulders roughly.

"Neal...wh..what the devil are you doing?" Robert muttered sleepily and glanced over at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning and he'd just gotten to sleep.

"Papa, please, you gotta wake up!"

"T..The house on fire or something? Lad, it's two in the morning."

"No, the house is fine."

"Are you okay then?"

"Yeah."

"Then why are you still awake in the middle of the night when you have school in the morning?" Robert asked impatiently as he turned on the lamp and sat up in bed.

"Emma just called me...oh my God...Papa she heard on TV that Belle got beat up bad in her hotel room tonight!"

"WHAT!?" Robert roared, his exhaustion quickly forgotten. He grabbed the remote and turned on CNN. The station was airing a commercial. Impatient, he started flipping through the channels until he saw an image that chilled his blood. EMTS were wheeling Belle out of a hotel on a gurney. He turned up the volume and waited for the reporter to speak.

"Ligeia lead singer Belle Chamonceaux remains in critical condition tonight after a violent altercation with fellow band member Gaston Lecroix. Lecroix was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department. He is also being questioned about an attack on the band's head of security Mulan Chang. Chang also remains in critical condition. We will bring you more information on this story as it develops."

"Gaston beat up Belle!?" Neal cried. "Why?"

"I don't know why lad but I'm going to find out," his father replied icily as he got out of bed. "Go on back to bed."

"I'm not gonna be able to sleep. Papa, can I stay home from school tomorrow?"

"Normally I would say no but I'll make an exception in this case. I still want you to go back to bed."

"You going to see if Belle's okay?"

"If I can get in. Off to bed."

Robert dressed and retreated to his office with his cellphone in his hand. He had every intention of seeing Belle whether anyone at the hospital wanted him to or not but there were a few calls to make and things he needed to arrange. His first call was to his sleepy assistant who wasn't unaccustomed to being dragged out of bed at all hours by his employer.

"I need you to cancel all my appointments this week."

"Rob, we're still working on the Cameron deal for Regina."

"Can you handle that? There are other more important issues I have to deal with right now. Belle Chamonceaux was assaulted tonight by the band mate she wants me to fire and it's not looking good. Someone must've tipped him off she was talking to me about becoming their manager. I was supposed to meet with the rest of them tomorrow to finalize the deal."

"Oh shit," Jefferson groaned. "I'll handle Regina. You do what you have to do on your end."

Not feeling up to driving himself, he called a taxi to take him to the hospital, making several more calls on the way. When his taxi pulled into the parking lot he was stunned to see hundreds of fans standing outside, some of them holding photos of Belle, Ligeia memorabilia or candles. He hadn't seen anything like this since John Lennon was murdered years before and after meeting her in person he realized just how much she touched the lives of these people. Many of them were in tears. He approached one of them, a girl who looked to be about Neal's age. She was holding a candle and a framed picture of Belle, weeping silently.

"Have you ever met her?" he inquired gently.

"No, but she's the main reason why I stopped doing this." The girl pulled up the sleeve of her shirt to reveal an arm covered with scars. Robert gasped. "I just got so tired of everyone treating me like a freak that I wanted to die...but she makes people like me believe I'm not one...you know...that there's a lot of us out there and we deserve to be treated like everyone else. Do you listen to her music? You're kinda old to like it."

"That's what I thought too," Robert said softly. He'd battled his own demons when he was her age, still did and a lot more as he got older with Neal being the only thing in his life he got right. "What's your name?"

"Lyndsey."

"Lyndsey, I'm going in to see her. Do you want to go in with me?"

"I really want to...but they probably won't let us in!"

"Yes they will. I'll make sure of it."

"Are you a friend of Belle's."

"I suppose you can say I am. My name's Robert." He took the girl's hand and walked into the hospital with her. As expected with a celebrity patient, security was tight but when the other band members spotted him, they ordered the guards to let him in. "Lyndsey, would you mind waiting here for a few minutes please?"

"Okay," the girl sniffled.

"How is she?" he asked Graham.

"It's not good. He almost killed her, Mr Gold. He's beaten her up pretty bad before but nothing like this," Graham moaned.

"You all knew this was going on and didn't put a stop to it!?"

"We tried!" Leroy insisted. "We even went to her father about it but he never wanted to hear anything bad about Gaston. He didn't even believe Belle when she finally left. Not gonna have any trouble believing her now."

"And where is he?"

"He left an hour ago. You're not going to tell him about..."

"I suspect he already knows as does Lecroix but how they found out I have no idea."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing...at the moment. Right now my main concern is Belle. I'd like one of you to take the girl I brought with me in to see her."

"Sure." Graham approached the girl and spoke to her briefly. As they passed Robert, she reached for his hand and shook it. While he waited for them to leave the room he called to check on his son who was still awake and as upset as young Lyndsey. He promised the boy he would call him back after he saw Belle and let him know how she was. he was grateful Belle's father wasn't there. That he could have been so indifferent to his child's suffering made Robert angry enough to beat him to a pulp with his cane.

Breathe deeply and count to ten, higher if you can't calm yourself back down right away, he heard Hopper's voice in his head coaching him. Little as he liked it, he was going to have to set up an appointment with the doctor to discuss the increase in his fits of rage. His only consolation was that they weren't followed by a drinking binge. He and the bottle parted ways around the same time Milah walked out on him and he'd been glad to be rid of them since problems with one lead to problems with the other. Now a few feet away Belle Chamonceaux was fighting for her life after her ex-boyfriend did the one thing Robert never had even when he was at his drunkest...struck out at a woman and Milah certainly had given him enough reasons over the years to choke the life out of her.

Young Lyndsey was still in tears when Graham escorted her out of Belle's room. She stopped in front of Robert. "Thank you for letting me see her," she croaked.

"You're quite welcome. We're going to do everything we can for her," he assured the girl while one of the security guards led her away.

Graham offered to go in with him. Robert waved him away and opened the door. He approached the bed slowly, his chest tightening at the sight of her beautiful face marred with cuts and bruises. There were also bruises around her neck and both of her legs and one arm were wrapped in casts.

"I could kill him myself for this," he seethed. He grabbed the chair in the corner and set it beside the bed and reached out to caress her bruised cheek. "And I don't understand what the hell is happening to me. I barely know you and you've been making me think and feel things I haven't thought or felt in a long time and I shouldn't. This is supposed to be business, nothing more. But you, little siren, aren't making it easy for me to do that. Why? I can be your manager but nothing more than that because I'm no better than the bastard who put you in here. I've never struck a woman in my life but I've hurt them far worse with what I've said and sooner or later I'll end up doing the same with you."

He stayed with her until one of the nurses informed him that visiting hours were over. As his taxi took him back home, he made several more calls, cashing in a few favors owed to him, not trusting the doctors at that hospital to care for her properly. One of the doctors he contacted was Victor Franklin, a throat specialist. There was no doubt in Robert's mind that Gaston intentionally strangled her to ensure that even if she survived, she stood a chance of losing her most valuable asset; her beautiful singing voice. He would spare no expense to make sure that son of a bitch's goal was never achieved.


	8. Chapter 8

She was standing on a ladder struggling to open the large drapes while Robert was sitting at a spinning wheel spinning straw into gold as Rumplestiltskin was skilled at doing.

"Why do you spin so much?" she asked him. He paused. "Sorry. It's just that you've spun straw into more gold than you can ever spend."

"I like to watch the wheel. Helps me to forget."

"Forget what?"

"I guess it worked," he giggled. Belle chuckled from her place on the ladder. He stood up and walked over to the window. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to open these. It's almost spring. We should let some light in." She pulled again but the material wouldn't budge. "What did you do? Nail them down?"

"Yes."

She pulled harder and lost her balance, tumbling down from the ladder and into his arms. Their eyes met.

"Thank you," she she said softly.

He set her back on her feet.

"No matter."

"I'll uhh...put the curtains back up."

"There's no need. I'll get used to it," he said quickly and retreated back to his spinning wheel. She smiled as she watched him spin, her accident allowing her to see a side of him she suspected was there but he chose to conceal. She opened the rest of the curtains and suddenly the darkened room was filled with light.

Neal was full of questions when he joined his father at breakfast the next morning.

"I want to go with you to see her."

"Lad, I'd rather you didn't." Robert said softly.

"She looks that bad? Oh my God! What did he do to her?"

He tried to kill her.

"It's bad and I'm going to tell you something right now I don't want you to ever forget. No matter how angry you may get at a woman, you DO NOT raise a hand to her! You go somewhere until you cool off like I do when I go to the basement. You understand me?"

"I won't do that, Papa," Neal vowed. "What are you gonna do?"

"Get her the hell away from that lunatic Lexcroix and witless father and find people who can repair the damage they've done," Robert growled.

Later that morning he and the remaining members of Ligeia met with Jefferson in their office and discussed how they would proceed. It ran the risk of them getting entangled in a lawsuit but Belle's bandmates agreed that it was the only option they had to protect her.

"That really does look like Belle's signature on the contract," Graham said as he studied the elegant penmanship. "How did you learn to do that, Mr. Gold."

"You don't want to know," was his reply. "I've backdated the contract to a week earlier so that I now have the ability to make decisions on the band's behalf and Maurice can't do a damned thing about it."

"What about Gaston?"

Robert sighed. "There is a chance he could be released on bail and I'd like to avoid that if possible. There are some judges in town who owe me favors."

He preferred to just have the police put him in the cell with Gaston so that he would feel all the pain Belle had and much worse and call it a day but that wasn't likely to happen. However, rapists and abusers were considered the food on the food chain and if Gaston happened to be placed in a cell with someone who wanted to make him the main course for a banquet, well he wouldn't complain at all. Arranging it was going to take some thought.

Robert returned to the hospital and as he suspected Maurice Chamonceaux was standing outside his daughter's room. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I met your daughter at her concert last night and heard what happened so I came down here to see how she was seeing as how my son and his girlfriend are fans of hers."

"You think I'm that bloody stupid, Gold? I want you away from this hospital...and my daughter!"

"She is the one who can make the decision, not you! It's her life!" Robert shouted. "And right now's she's barely holding onto that because that son of a bitch tried to kill her. It's not the first time either? You are bloody stupid if you haven't been noticing the bruises! This is all your fault. You are her father and you're supposed to be protecting her!"

Robert's hand gripped the handle of his cane tightly, fighting back the urge to ram it down the other man's throat and rob him of the ability to breath just as Gaston had done while he had his hands wrapped around Belle's or beat him until there was nothing left of him.

"I won't let you corrupt her with your poison," Maurice vowed.

"Oh, I have no intentions of corrupting her, just making her the star she deserves to be, dearie."

"You're insane to think she'd want you for a manager."

Robert smiled evilly as he reached into the briefcase he carried and took out the contract. "She did and I am her manager now...as of a week ago. So now any decisions regarding her career are mine to make."

"You are the lowest..." Maurice hissed. "You forged her signature somehow."

"Good luck trying to prove it," Robert taunted.

"I'll see you in court, Gold!"

"Looking forward to it."

He went to the cafeteria to eat what looked like a lunch but tasted anything but, giving the nurses strict orders that he was to be notified immediately if Belle's condition changed while answering the frantic text messages being sent by Neal and Emma inquiring about her condition. When his phone rang with an unknown number he was going to ignore at first then decided he'd rather just berate the caller for daring to interrupt him while he was in the middle of something important.

"You miserable lowlife son of bitch! How dare you? How dare you? Of all the mean, nasty..."

"And hello to you too Ms. Blanchard," he said sarcastically. "To what do I owe the displeasure of your call?"

"You know goddam well what, you asshole!How did you find out? Did you have one of your little rats peeking in my bedroom windows?"

"Ms. Blanchard I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Me and David Nolan...and don't play innocent with me."

"You and David Nolan, dearie? You do remember he is married to Kathryn Midas, don't you? Are you saying you're having an affair with a married man? I'm shocked."

"If I could reach through that phone..." she threatened.

"You'd what? Strangle me? Better to put the fault where its due. You made your bed. Looks like you'll have to lie in it. Oh...now that doesn't sound right does it since it's not your bed to begin with." he taunted. "I can just see the headlines now. What will your dear father say?"

"Go to hell!" she screamed and disconnected the call.

Seeing Mary Margaret Blanchard brought down off her shiny pedestal and exposed for the adulterous fraud she was added some amusement to what started out as a stressful day. He'd assumed Sidney would have to make some dirt up, not have the stupid bitch actually be doing something he could make use of.

The nurse called him an hour later informing him that Belle was awake. He hurried back to her room to find her propped up against the pillows.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I got you into this mess."

"Why didn't you tell me there was physical abuse involved in this dispute?" he demanded gently.

"They told you!" she cried hoarsely. "I..I made...made them promise me!"

"Belle, Belle...stop!" he pleaded. "Come on sweetheart, getting yourself upset isn't going to help matters but I can assure you that son of a bitch is never going to hurt you again."

"D...don't do...anything...let the police handle it..."

"I will not let this stand, Belle!" he raged. "I do not approve of a man abusing a woman without suffering for it and I'll be damned if I'll start now!"

She reached out and grasped his hand in hers. "Promise me!"

"He doesn't deserve your mercy, dearie."

"But its the right thing to do," she said. "The police will handle it."

He snorted. "They'll give him a slap on the wrist, nothing more."

"Robert, please, all I want you to do is work on getting Ligeia back on track."

What future is there for Ligeia without you? Listen to yourself, Belle. Listen to what has happened to your voice...your beautiful voice!

"Then the first place we need to start is with you. I've already contacted a doctor who should be able to help you get your voice back...and.." He hesitated. "And I've had to take some drastic actions to make certain your father can't make a single decision about the band."

"But I didn't sign the contract...you forged it, didn't you?" It wasn't an accusation like he'd expected it to be. She honestly sounded as if she'd expected it.

"It's going to get messy, Belle. Your father wants to take me to court."

She lowered her head. "He wasn't always like this."

"Money and power have a habit of making good men act like monsters."

"Are you speaking from experience, Robert?" she inquired.

There was no point in denying it. She'd done her research on him but it hadn't told the whole story. "I think you already know the answer to that. Why doesn't it bother you?"

"We all have a dark side. Some of us...just have a harder time keeping it under control."

"Okay, that's enough talking for now. Dr. Franklin should be in to see you soon."

"Are you going to stay for a little while?" she asked forgetting he'd just told her not to speak yet she couldn't stand long silences. Communication had always been important to her...and honesty.

Victor Franklin dealt with many singers over the years who developed vocal cord issues due to overuse of their prized instrument but he'd never encountered a case where the damage occured in a murder attempt. Belle's condition, confirmed after he'd ordered some tests was vocal cord paralysis.

"How severe is it and is it treatable?" Robert asked.

"It is...but I've never had this occur in this manner before. Ms. Chamonceaux, I must be honest with you...recovery from this condition is not going to be a simple process. I'd like to try you out on voice therapy first. I'll set you up for an appointment with a therapist who will work with you to strengthen your vocal cords and work on other muscles around them that could also be affecting them. If this is not successful..."

"She may have to have surgery. Is that what you're saying?"

"I'd like to avoid that if possible."

Belle burst into tears. Robert reached for her hand and grasped it tightly in his. "We'll fix it," he assured her. She wanted to believe him but he was an expert at making deals. Unless he had a standing agreement with God that everything worked out for the best with his clients she feared she would never sing another note for the rest of her life.


	9. Chapter 9

Although he had given her strict orders not to talk too much, Belle still had her concerns, the main one being her father and as she feared, once he'd been tipped off that she was awake, he came to the room.

"Get out!" he hissed at Robert. "Or I'll call security and have you thrown out!"

"He stays!" Belle rasped.

"Belle, you shouldn't be talking..." Robert protested.

Belle ignored him and glared at her father. "This is my life and I will be the one who decides who stays in my hospital room and who leaves, not you! I love you Papa, but I am tired of you trying to run my life."

"You don't know what this man is capable of..."

"I do know Papa. That's why I hired him," she said firmly.

"Y...You've agreed to this? You want to fire me?"

"You've left me no other choice," she croaked. "I've made excuses for you time and again for your shortcomings but I can't do it anymore. I tried telling you what I really wanted but you never listened. If you really cared about me, you would have listened. When you're ready to just be my father, the father I remember, you can come back. Until then I don't want to see you."

"This isn't you talking. This is him," he sneered, pointing at Robert who was watching the exchange between father and daughter in admiration of Belle as she fought to assert her independence.

"Do you honestly believe I can't think for myself, Papa?" she demanded. "The trouble you've always had is that I can. You may not always like my opinions or my decisions but you should have respected them. I've always done that for you even when I knew they were the wrong ones because that was how Mama raised me!"

"And this argument is not helping your condition any," Robert spoke up only to have her blue eyes clash with his, the rage in them powerful enough to kill if it was possible. "I should wait outside..."

"I said you're staying and you ARE staying!" she snapped. "And I want both of you to understand this: I may be in this damned hospital bed with half my body beaten black and blue and half a voice but I am still mentally capable of making my own choices! So don't be thinking you can pull the wool over my eyes with any schemes. You either be honest with me or I don't want to deal with either of you again. Is that clear!?"

"This isn't over," Maurice said angrily. "You want to get in bed with this monster my girl, so be it but you're the one who's going to be sorry not him!" He spun on his heel and slammed the door behind him.

Belle grabbed Robert's hand as she began coughing violently.

"Dammit, Belle I told you this wasn't helping you," he growled.

"H..He'd...try to run things unless..I...I did...something. M...May still try."

"Then do I have your permission to handle it?"

"D..Do...what you have to...but...you better tell me...before you do it...Mean...it!"

Robert smiled. "I used to think Regina was my most difficult client. I think you're stealing her thunder, dearie," he quipped.

"Just want...people to stop underestimating me," she murmured as she lay back and closed her eyes.

"Oh, I would never make the mistake of doing that."

She was a feisty one, his siren, even after all she'd been through and every minute he spent with her, he found himself wanting to know everything about her and it seemed that she was turning the tables on him and trying to unlock his secrets. He wasn't sure he was comfortable with that. He made the mistake of opening himself up too far before only to have his heart burned to ashes first by Cora Mills when she threw his love away like trash and decided marriage to a rich man without love was far more important than being married to a simple pawnbroker. He'd almost told her to go straight to hell and not come back when she approached him about standing godfather to her child but he loved children and Regina did have her sweet moments when Cora allowed her to.

The day Milah walked into his shop he thought he'd been given another chance to prove Zack wrong. The old bastard was as cynical about love as he was about everything else. He and the bastard Robert called a father had that in common.

Women are only good for one thing Rob, and its being on their backs or on their knees, never on top. The minute you do that, you may as well cut your balls off and wrap 'em up in a box for her because she'll have you by them for the rest of your life.

The first five years of their marriage were good ones. She settled into the role of a housewife with no complaints despite his blessing that she could go out and get a job of her own if she wanted to. She'd come from a home as broken as his was and they promised each other that they wouldn't end up like their parents; drunk and miserable. The only disagreement they had was on the subject of children. He wanted a child, she didn't.

"Why can't we just stay like this? Once we bring a kid into this, we won't be able to have fun anymore."

"We can still go out, but maybe just once a week."

"Oh, that's just great. Then you're gonna tell me we can't have sex either!"

"Umm...we'd have to keep it down...and lock the door."

"Exactly my point! No fucking privacy! No sleep! Just an eating, screaming, whining, pissing, shitting pain in the ass to deal with all day and all night long!"

"Maybe you'll change your mind."

"I won't, Bobby. You either get clipped or wear a rubber."

"If you feel that way about it have a fucking hysterectomy or your tubes tied!"

"It's less painful for you than me."

"Oh, is that it? You're the one who doesn't want kids and I do yet you want me to sterilize myself so we don't because you can't stand pain? I'm not having a vasectomy. End of discussion."

Deep down he still held onto the belief that she would change her mind yet he respected her wishes and used protection except for one time when he'd been too drunk to remember and that one time was all it took. The only thing that made it easier was that Neal was a quiet, undemanding child from the moment he was born, much like his father when he was younger. Still the crack in the marriage formed and it grew as the years went by. Milah played the part of the doting mother well. It was her husband that she unleashed her venom on, accusing him of ruining their lives with his carelessness. She drained him emotionally until all the love he had left was only for his son and his only other comforts were at the bottom of a glass. His disability occurred after an accidental fall down the basement stairs but it wasn't meant to be an accident at first. He'd reached his breaking point. His wife despised him, his boss treated him like a slave and he couldn't get through a day without having a good bit of whiskey in him. If he splatted his brains all over the basement floor, no one would give a damn. His son was too young to know who he was anyway. He let go of the handrail, ready to drop when he heard Neal crying for him upstairs but he was too drunk to see the rail clearly and started tumbling down until he landed hard on the cement floor, his leg feeling as if someone had taken sledgehammer to it. When he woke up in the hospital Zach was there with him and the old bastard was his usually cheerful self.

"You fucking idiot. No woman is worth trying to decorate the basement floor with your guts!"

"It was an accident."

"Accident my ass! What did I tell you? The minute you let a woman get on top she owns you and your balls. It's not worth it. Fucking pansy. Should fire you now and get it over with."

"Well why don't you? Like I give a fuck. I'm tired of your shit and I'm tired of hers!"

In that moment the beast that had been growing inside him for so many years was coming out of his cage and ready to fight only it would be his bark that was far worse than his bite and finally Milah did them both a favor and took off.

"I know what you're trying to do, little siren, and you can't win. I'm a beast, I'll always be a beast and nothing's going to change it because I refuse to let anyone get me by the balls again!"

Now that the drapes were opened the atmosphere in the castle itself changed and so had the demeanor of its master. He stood by the table sipping his tea quietly while Belle hopped onto to it.

"Why did you want me here?" she asked him.

"The place was filthy."

"I think you were lonely. I mean any man would be lonely."

"I'm not a man," he muttered as he sat beside her. She pleased to see him at least making an effort to be sociable.

"So, I've had a couple of months to look around, you know. And, uh, upstairs, there's, uh, clothing, small, as if for a-a child? Was it yours or... or was there a son?"

His lips trembled as he spoke. "There was. There was a son. I lost him, as I did his mother."

She knew all too well how grief from loss could change a person, having lost her own mother at a young age. She couldn't imagine the pain he was suffering losing his own child and his wife. He stared down at the teacup he held, fingering it nervously, trying to avoid meeting her eyes.

"I'm... I'm sorry. So you—you were a man, once. An ordinary man. If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?"

He stood up, once again putting distance between them. "Perhaps. Perhaps... Perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses! Nah, nah nah!" he cautioned, pointing a chastising finger at her.

She smiled. "You're not a monster. You think you're uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it? Hmm?"

He was about to answer her when he heard someone knocking on the front door. When he went to open it Gaston stood on the other side demanding the return of Belle. The dark sorcerer grinned, snapped his fingers and the knight was turned into a long stemmed red rose.

"Who was that?" Belle asked him when he returned.

"Just an old woman selling flowers," he lied. "Here, if you'll have it."

Belle took the rose in her hand and curtseyed as he bowed to her. "Why, thank you."

For a moment it appeared as if he were trying to court her.

"You had a life, Belle. Before... this—Friends... family. What made you choose to come here with me?" he asked her as he sat back down

"Heroism. Sacrifice. You know, there aren't a lot of opportunities in this land for women to show what they can do. To see the world, to be heroes. So, when you arrived, that was my chance. I always wanted to be brave. I figured, do the brave thing, and bravery would follow," she answered while she trimmed the rose and set it on the table and sat back down onto of it.

"And is it everything you hoped?"

"Well, uh... I did want to see the world. That part didn't really work out. But, uh, I did save my village."

"And what about your, uh... bethrothed?"

"It was an arranged marriage. Honestly, I never really cared much for Gaston. To me love is—love is layered. Love is a mystery to uncovered. Yeah, I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he. But, um, you were going to tell me about your son."

I'll tell you what... I'll make you a deal. Go to town, and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale."

"But... town? You trust me to come back?"

"Oh, no. I expect I'll never see you again."


	10. Chapter 10

Belle glared down at her broken arm, wishing it were recovered so that she could record the dreams she'd been having about the characters from the stories she'd written so that she wouldn't forget them. When she was awake she could hear the music she would score the scenes to and heard herself singing the lyrics that would accompany them...if she even could sing again. She couldn't imagine anyone else in the role of Belle and still couldn't understand why she had Robert Gold in mind for the beast when she barely knew him.

He is a beast, Belle. He's admitted as much to you and don't forget all the stories you've heard.

Yet she saw another side to him, one that seemed to care for her and it was more than just as a client. Was he drawn to her because of her looks, her voice or her personality? Being a celebrity she'd grown accustomed to being treated more like an object than a person, many of her fans being the exception. They saw her as being one of them through her music, the girl who sat alone at the lunch table in the cafeteria, dressed differently, acted differently because she had been them when she was their age. If one looked closely at her arms and legs, faint traces of the cuts she had inflicted on herself every time she'd been picked on in school or ignored by her father still remained. Her father suggested see someone to have the scars removed and she refused. She kept them so that she never forgot who she was...a survivor.

She spent most of her day in the company of the doctors and nurses who were overseeing her care. Her bandmates visited briefly, updating her on the situation with her father. He was threatening to file a court order prohibiting Robert from making any managerial decisions for the band and claimed the contract between them and him was fraudulent. The most devastating news she learned was that unless she agreed to hire him back as her manager, he would replace her on the final dates of the North American tour with her best friend, former Atlantica lead vocalist Ariel Finn Tritan. The two bands came out the same year and toured together, sharing some of the same fans since their music was similar however Atlantica's sound changed before they disbanded, using less classical and operatic elements as they had in their first three albums. Ariel and her husband Eric had been suffering from burnout but now that it had passed, both were looking to be in a band again.

"it's just like that son of a bitch to take advantage of both yours and their problems Belle," Graham said bitterly. "Don't get me wrong...I like Ariel but you are Ligeia's voice, not her. And I wouldn't put it past him to make sure Gaston beats the rap for what he did to you."

"He can't," Belle said. "Not this time."

As little as he liked it, Robert was forced to deal with Regina's Cameron film issue on his own. Jefferson was a skilled negotiatior, just not skilled enough at manipulation which his employer excelled in. Now that Cameron's first choice for the lead was denounced as an adultress and the Blanchards were now in a war with the more powerful Midas clan, Mary Margaret would have a very difficult time working in Tinseltown again and the price for Regina's services was increased due to the delay. Nothing pleased Robert more than hearing a Hollywood heavyweight like Cameron calling him every filthy name in the book and then some before agreeing that without Regina his project was up shit creek without a paddle.

"Robert, you are the best!" Regina exclaimed.

"I stuck my neck out on this one dearie so I am expecting at least a consideration for the Oscar or even the little gold statue itself."

"I can do this. You know I can."

And you'd better remember how you got there, he thought.

He always found that when one thing in his life went well, something else went incredibly wrong. When he got back to his office he was served with an injunction preventing him from making any further decisions about Ligeia until there was a hearing. Until that time, Maurice once again had control of the band's affairs and Graham informed him during an angry call that they were being ordered to continue the North American tour with Ariel Finn Tritan on vocals. Concerned with how this news would affect Belle's recovery, he cancelled his appointments for the day and went over to the hospital to see her.

"I'm not giving up, Belle," he assured her. "And your father can hire whatever second rate vocalist he wants to but it will be a disaster."

"Ariel isn't a second rate vocalist and she's my best friend. We even toured together when we first started out. Her last band broke up because she was bit burned out so it doesn't surprise me Papa asked her to finish the tour."

"If your bandmates are smart, they won't go along with it. Replacing you in Ligeia is like replacing Freddie Mercury in Queen...can't be done."

She chuckled. "He was one of my idols growing up."

"Well you're very lucky your cover of Somebody To Love was good otherwise I wouldn't have agreed to become your manager. I'm not a big fan of cover songs."

"Neither am I but I loved George Michael's version of it at the tribute concert they had after Freddie died."

Sharing memories of their favorite musician eased the tension for a while but the issue of what to do about her father's court order remained as well as concerns about her own recovery and whether Gaston would be a threat to them again. The reports on the Gaston issue were promising. The boy had quite the history of domestic violence even before he and Belle started dating and several of his previous victims were willing to testify to it in court. He didn't want Belle to go through such a trying ordeal yet the only way to avoid that was for the bastard to agree to a plea bargain. Given his inflated ego, Robert had little hopes of it actually happening.

A week later, Robert and his attorney Albert Spencer appeared at a hearing concerning Maurice's injunction and the result was less than promising. The court order would be upheld and the remaining members of Ligeia were faced with a difficult decision: refuse to finish the tour and risk losing the entire North American fanbase they were trying to build up or continue the tour with Ariel Finn Tritan and risk losing part of it. The men knew what they wanted to do: they wanted to remain loyal to Belle but alienating their fans in North American would cause a chain reaction that could spread to their worldwide fanbase. The band was their livelihood and without a fanbase, there was no band. The injunction may have prevented him from managing Ligeia's affairs but that didn't mean he couldn't work a little magic on Belle's planned replacement. The final dates of the North American tour were approaching fast. He called an emergency meeting with Albert, Jefferson and Sidney, explaining his plan in detail. It was risky but he was a man who liked to take risks when they paid off.

When Belle returned from her therapy session she was informed she had visitors. One of them was a woman she immediately recognized while the other was a teenaged boy.

"R...Regina Mills?" she gasped.

"Hello Belle. I'd like to introduce you to my son Henry. He's a huge fan of yours and wanted to meet you in person."

"Hi Belle," the boy greeted.

"Mind if we sit down?"

"N...Not at all," Belle said nervously. She dreaded speaking because she knew how terrible her voice sounded although Regina and her son didn't seem to mind it. She chatted with Henry as best she could, the boy talked a mile a minute despite his mother's constant pleas for him to slow down and have some courtesy for Belle as she was still not feeling well. Belle was stunned. This was not the Diva From Hell the tabloids made Regina appear to be. In Belle's hospital room she was simply a mother. At first she didn't want to even mention the change in the actress's demeanor but Belle, always a curious woman, found herself doing so anyway when Henry stepped out to use the restroom.

"Well, you're not an actress so you're no threat to me and what makes my son happy makes me happy," she said. "And you dear, couldn't have chosen anyone better than Robert to manage your affairs. He can be a bit...devious but he gets the job done."

"Oh, his reputation is not unfamiliar to me and I know this dispute he's in with my father is going to get worse before it gets better."

"I am curious about one thing though."

"What's that?"

"He seems to have taken a more...personal interest in you than any other of his female clients besides me. I'm his goddaughter so his personal interest in me is easily explainable. His interest in you, however, is a puzzle to me?"

"Why?" Belle asked with a hint of anger. What was this woman's game?

"Well...you are half his age and the type of music you perform is a bit out of his league," Regina pointed out.

"It...it's not like that!" Belle cried.

"Oh, I wasn't suggesting you were lovers, dear. You don't know him well enough for that and even if you did, you would never pursue him."

What exactly are you trying to accomplish here? Belle thought angrily. Are you jealous because Robert seems to be more interested in me and my affairs at the moment instead of yours? "I don't know what kind of game you're playing but you may as well quit while you're ahead," she snapped.

"I'm not playing any game, dear."

You call me dear one more time bitch and you'll be missing a few teeth when I punch you in the face with my good arm.

"Don't insult my intelligence. You've been Robert's star client for a long time but now that he's taken an interest in me, you're jealous. You may be a good actress on screen Regina but you're not good at hiding anything off screen. I'll tolerate you because your son seems to like me and because you're Robert's goddaughter but if you get in my way, you'll see just how much of a bitch this beauty can be," she threatened.

"And on that note, I'll be going now. I have other calls to make. I'll be seeing you around Belle."

"Thanks for the warning," she muttered.

Regina Mills closed the door to Belle's room behind her, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Part of her work was done. The other part was going to be a bit more...difficult but she'd learned the game from the masters, namely her mother and Robert. She'd almost lost the Cameron movie project thanks to Robert's infatuation with the girl and she would never allow him to make such a mistake again. He needed to start thinking with his head and it was not the one below his waist. The coveted Oscar was almost within her reach and if this film didn't get it for her, she would make him secure a deal for a better one and his little broken singer could go back where the hell she came from!

"I've got to hand it to you Mr. Gold...you're a son of a bitch...but a clever one," Ariel Finn Tritan remarked as she sipped a glass of iced tea.

"Then you agree to my terms?"

"Absolutely. Nothing would please me more than to give Maurice Chamonceaux exactly what he deserves...a fat foot up his ass. If Belle knew he was planning on replacing her with me six months ago it would kill her. They've had their differences but deep down...Belle still loves him."

"He's not worthy of it!"

"Speaking of her, once she gets out of the hospital.."

"She'll be staying with me," Robert answered firmly.

"Are you sure that's proper? I mean..."

"I don't give a damn if it's proper or not. I don't trust that bastard she calls a father and I trust that imbecile she called a boyfriend even less. At least I know she'll be safe at my home."

"Mr. Gold, do you do this with all your clients...take such a personal interest in them?"

"Why is that any of your concern?" he barked.

"Because Belle is my best friend and I don't want her hurt any more than she already is. Do we understand each other?"

"You just honor your end of our agreement and leave Belle's affairs to me!"

"Are you in love with her?"

"Of course not! I barely know her. We still have matters to discuss and love has nothing to do with it."

I'm not in love with the girl. It's business, nothing more.

Ariel's curiosity was aroused. He'd answered her question but his attitude and body language suggested he wasn't being honest about it. Belle had always been drawn to men who had what she called 'layers'to them and this one had more layers than an onion and like an onion he would reduce her to tears if she got too close to him and he turned her away.

Some people just aren't meant to be loved Belle and the sooner you find that out, the better, she thought sadly.


	11. Chapter 11

The private war between Maurice Chamonceaux and Robert Gold for the managerial position in Ligeia that began in the courtroom spilled out into the media as the band members launched a social media attack against Maurice, calling him a greedy little bastard willing to sell out his own daughter just to make himself rich. Two hours after the angry posts appeared on the band's website, Maurice called their webhost and had the site shut down until the content was removed. The band, unwilling to back down, struck back on their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Belle's own Facebook and Twitter accounts were being overloaded with questions from fans regarding her condition. Maurice recruited a computer expert to hack into both accounts so that he could post his own replies, including one announcing that the North American tour would continue with Ariel Finn Tritan replacing Belle on vocals. Immediately there was a barrage of comments that were a mixture of support and condemnation, not for Ariel but for Maurice. The fans who loved both bands looked forward to seeing Ariel onstage again but Ligeia's fanbase had concerns as to how Ariel would sing Belle's songs.

Regina Mills made a second appearance at the hospital, this time without Henry. Belle was about to ask her to leave when the older woman surprised her by apologizing for their last meeting.

"You have to understand Belle, Robert...is like a father to me," she said softly. "He and my mother were involved before I was born and even after the way she treated him, she still asked him to be my godfather and he did it. He takes the job very seriously. Were it not for him, I'd be living the life my mother had planned out for me...married to an old rich man and miserable, never getting my chance in the spotlight. His infatuation with you is making him act irrationally, hence my concern. And despite what you think, an Oscar is important to me, but so is Robert's well being and if he continues making unwise decisions, he won't last much longer in this town and he'll end up a nervous wreck again."

"What do you mean, again?" Belle demanded. "You don't have to sugarcoat it, Regina. I know he probably has as many emotional issues as I do but...maybe we can help each other."

"As what, Belle? Friends? Lovers? Sooner or later you're going to have to decide which of those you want to be to him and if it's not what he wants you to be, one of you is going to be hurt...badly."

And as much as I hate to admit it, it is probably going to be him. You and Milah certainly did a number on him, didn't you, Mother? And once I again I have to be the one to pick up the pieces when he crashes! Damn you bitches!

"Regina, I appreciate your concern but this is between Robert and me and we'll deal with it together. He's merely concerned for my well being. Why are you convinced there's more to it?"

"Are you trying to convince me of that...or yourself?" the actress inquired.

Belle was beginning to wonder if she even knew the answer to that. She was due to be released from the hospital soon and part of her thought if they spent some time away from each other it would help her unravel the knot her emotions seems to be in while another part, the part that always wanted to help people, wanted to keep him close.

To say that Ariel Finn Tritan was nervous about facing her best friend was an understatement but when her best friend's demeanor was the same as before it made her feel more at ease.

"I don't want to do it Belle, but..."

"You want to go back onstage again. You miss it."

"I miss it more than six weeks in mental health," she muttered, referring to her nervous breakdown. "How the hell did you manage not to let things get to that point?"

"It wasn't easy," Belle confessed.

"Do you need a place to stay after you get out of the hospital?"

"Robert's asked me to go to his home..."

"Are you okay with that?"

"I don't know. I'm flattered that he cares about me but Regina seems to think there's more to it than that."

"So do I. I think he's in love with you and you're starting to have feelings for him too," Ariel blurted.

"I don't know what I feel!" Belle cried. "We've done nothing but talk so I don't understand how that can mean anything more. And seeing him in my dreams..."

"Whoa, whoa whoa...back up there! Are you telling me you dream about him?"

"Oh for Crissakes, its not those kinds of dreams. Do you remember me telling you about that concept album I'm writing? Well...ummm...he keeps popping in my dreams as that imp, Rumplestiltskin."

"Who also happens to be your version of the Beast while you see yourself as Belle," Ariel pointed out. "Now tell me sit there and tell me you're not feeling something Belle Marie Chamonceaux," Ariel challenged. "You just got out of a shitty relationship and the last thing I want is to see you wind up in another one. You don't know as much about this guy as you think you do."

"I know he has issues...and can be pretty ruthless in business."

"Sweetie, your father is going to be massacred if this little scheme he has going will pay off."

"Meaning taking you on as client and forcing my father to hire you to finish out the tour as long as you get to choose what goes on the setlist?" Belle asked.

"So he did tell you. I honestly thought he wouldn't."

"He gave me his word that he would discuss any actions he took with me. My father wants you to sing all my stuff but we both know you can't sing Haunted Palace at all."

"That or Aria For the Lonely. I can handle most of the stuff from Wrath and Scarlet Letter but nothing from Usher. And if I can't do my cover of Live and Let Die, there will be hell to pay!"

"I just don't want any of our fans giving you a hard time."

"They've been blasting your dad, not me. The plan is to drive him so crazy he'll be begging Robert to take over and the fucker deserves it, Belle. As for Gaston, I hope he becomes someone's bitch in jail."

Belle laughed. "He does like to be the center of attention."

"Oh he'd get plenty of it."

Although Belle was pleased Robert was trying to find a way to get her father to give up his control over her band, she noticed that it was starting to take a toll on him. When he arrived at the hospital later that afternoon he looked exhausted and fell asleep several times while she was talking to him and his cellphone rang constantly and ever call seemed to frustrate him. She felt like taking the damned thing and throwing it against the wall.

"Why don't you take a few days off?"

He looked at her as if she were insane. "The bloody mess is just going to be here wheen I get back!" he snapped. "I'm sorry, Belle. I know you mean well but I really can't take a vacation right now. You're being released from the hospital tomorrow and you really haven't made a decision what you want to do about that..."

"I'll just have to go to your house. It's the only way I can keep an eye on you."

"I'm fine," he insisted.

"No you're not Robert. You've been snapping away more than usual, you barely get any sleep, constantly have headaches and you're obviously having trouble with your eyes because you're wearing glasses now. That's stress piling up on you. You should see a doctor."

"I'm fine!"

"Robert, would you please stop being so bloody bullheaded!" Belle cried. "You've spent the last five weeks worrying about me and not seeing what you're doing to yourself. Please, just promise me you'll see someone about all this," she begged.

"Oh all right...if you insist."

"I mean it Robert."

"I'll do it!" he cried. "I saw Ariel stopped by."

"She should be able to handle a lot of the stuff from Wrath and Scarlet Letter fine and she absolutely will kick my father's ass if she can't perform Live and Let Die. It's been her favorite song since she was a kid."

"Wants to be a Bond girl, eh?"

Belle giggled. "Who doesn't to be Bond...or a Bond girl."

"Honestly my hero in those movies was Goldfinger," Robert said with a smirk. "'No, Mr. Bond I expect you to die!'" he quoted.

"I wanted to be Pussy Galore...beautiful but dangerous to cross."

He laughed. "That name speaks volumes but we won't get into that. She was worried you'd be upset with her about the replacing you bit until I explained what I had in mind for that." He looked down at his watch and frowned. "I'm supposed to meet Regina for lunch and I'm running late."

"I'm sure she'll wait."

"Oh she would but I doubt the restaurant will. I'll stop by later on and we'll talk about...tomorrow."

"Just don't forget to make a doctor's appointment." Belle reminded him.

"Yes...well...I'll do that after lunch."

Belle watched him leave, unable to shake the feeling that something was going to happen and she was powerless to stop it. The feeling stayed with her all day and she was barely able to concentrate during her physical therapy sessions. While her volunteer was wheeling her back to her room she heard the switchboard operator paging staff members to the emergency room. She had gotten used to hearing it but this time it worried her. She asked the volunteer to take her down to the emergency room. Two EMTs were bringing in a patient. Before she could see who it was, they were taking him back for treatment.

"Belle?" she heard someone say behind her. Belle turned her head and saw Regina standing there with tears in her eyes.

"Oh God," Belle moaned. "Regina, please don't tell me it's Robert!" she begged.

"A...At first everything was fine...then...then he said he couldn't breathe and he was having chest pains...and he just...collapsed." she sobbed as she sank down in a chair in the waiting area. "I...I have to call Neal...and Robin..."

"Miss Chamonceaux...we need to get you back to your room."

"Please, just let me stay here for a little while," she begged. "They just brought a friend of mine in and I need to make sure he's going to be all right. I'll...I'll have the receptionist let someone know when I want to go back to my room."

Robin arrived a few minutes later with Neal. The boy was in tears as he hugged Regina and Belle.

"Has anyone told you anything yet, Regina?" Robin asked his wife.

"No," she croaked as she stood up and led him over to the other end of the room. Belle was able to overhear part of their conversation as she wheeled herself over to a table to fetch a magazine for Neal. "...was afraid something like this would happen...so damned infatuated with that girl it's wearing him down...I swear if anything happens to him I'll ruin her!"

"Regina, calm down."

"I am not going to calm down. Get her out of here. I don't give a damn if she says she wants to stay or not. The last thing he needs is her pretending she gives a damn about him when she doesn't! You know what he did to himself over Milah!"

"Honey, he said that was an accident."

"It ended up being one only because he heard Neal crying for him and was going to go back upstairs but he couldn't find the handrail so he threw himself down the steps anyway! I never told Neal the truth because Robert made me promise I wouldn't!"

Belle choked back a sob, the noise alerting the already furious Regina to her presence. "How dare you eavesdrop on me you little bitch!" she snarled.

"I...I didn't mean to."

"Get out of here! You're just like every other little bitch with a pretty face he's been interested in...use him for what you can get out of him then throw him away like he's trash."

"Regina, please...I'm not like that..."

"What's going on?" Neal demanded. "Why are you yelling at Belle, Regina?"

"She's just upset honey," Belle assured him.

"Ohhh you're good. You're really good. Use his son too." Regina sneered.

"Regina, enough." Robin said firmly.

"Are any of Robert Gold's family members here?" a nurse inquired. Regina stepped forward. "I'm his goddaughter Regina Mills and this is his son Neal. Can we see him?"

"The doctor would like to speak to you first and then you can see him. Come with me please," she said as she led the actress and Neal away.

"I have to apologize for my wife, Belle. She's...upset and she tends to be a bit...witchy when she's upset," Robin explained.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Belle said through her tears. "It's my fault he's here." She wheeled herself over to the desk. "Can...you please find someone to take me back to my room."

"Of course Miss Chamonceaux."

"Belle, I'll come up and tell you what I find out. Okay?" Robin offered.

"Thank you."

After crying herself to sleep Belle once again found herself dreaming about her story, taking up where her previous dream left off with Robert asking her to go into town. As she was walking down the road an elegant black carriage came to a stop beside her. The door opened and Regina with her hair piled on top of her head and wearing a long black gown opened the door. In her notes for her Snow White portion of Once Upon a Time, she'd had Regina in mind while writing the Evil Queen and was not surprised to see her pop into this dream.

"Did my carriage splash you?"

"Oh. Oh, no, I'm-I'm fine." Belle insisted.

"You know, I'm tired of riding. Let me stretch my legs and walk with you for a spell."

"If you'd like," Belle said nervously.

They continued down the road, Belle with her basket walking ahead, Regina close behind. "You carry very little," Regina observed.

"I don't want to be slowed down."

"You're running from someone. The question is: master or lover? Oh...master and lover." Belle didn't think she'd made her answer obvious, however Regina did and Belle was not comfortable taking the coversation any further.

"I might take a rest. You...you go on ahead."

"So if I'm right, you love your employer...but you're leaving him."

"I might love him. I could...except something evil has taken root in him."

"Sounds like a curse to me and all curses can be broken. A kiss born of true love would do it."

Belle paused. Was it possible?

"Oh, no child. No! I would never suggest a young woman to kiss a man who held her captive. What kind of message is that?"

"Right."

"Besides, if he love you, he would've let you go. And if he didn't love you, well then the kiss wouldn't even work."

"Well, he did let me go."

"Yes, but no kiss happened."

"And a kiss, a kiss is enough. He'd be a man again."

The older woman smiled. "An ordinary man. True love's kiss will break any curse. Oh, I do apologize but I must be going. It was lovely meeting you...Belle."

The woman spun on her heel and walked back to her carriage, Belle continued down the road, wondering how the strange woman knew she worked for Rumplestiltskin and how she knew her name when she never gave it. Those thoughts quickly fled her mind as she debated the other issue the woman raised, the possibility that what she and her master felt for each other was true love and her kiss would be able to free him from his curse.


	12. Chapter 12

"Belle...Belle...are you awake?"

"I am now," Belle said sleepily and opened her eyes to find Neal sitting beside her bed. "Neal! Honey, how is your father?"

"They're keeping him to run some tests but he's not happy about it."

"Good. I told him he needed to see a doctor."

"So did I. He scared the shit out of me. Sorry, Belle."

"Don't let him hear you say that or he'll get the bar of soap out. What do they think happened?"

"Something about his blood pressure being too high."

That didn't surprise her at all given all the stress he'd been under for weeks. What did upset her was that she and Neal both told him that he was not feeling well and stubborn man that he was, he allowed his condition to worsen.

"Belle, I'm sorry if Regina was being such a bitch to you. She gets like that sometimes because she's really protective of my dad...well since my mom left and I kinda think of her like a big sister."

"It's all right. Where is she?"

"She took Henry and Robin out to get some real food. The stuff in this place sucks."

"Yes it does," Belle agreed, sticking out her tongue. Neal laughed.

"You wanna go up and see my dad?"

"If he's up to it."

"Oh, believe me...he'd rather see you than the nurses."

Belle called for one of the volunteers to take her up to the floor where Robert was staying. As soon as the elevator doors opened and they passed the nurse's station they could hear two of them talking although they were trying not to let anyone hear them. She thanked her volunteer and said she would have Neal take her back to her room.

"I swear if I have to listen to any more of that man's shit, I'm gonna shove his ass out the window!"

"You only have two more hours to put up with him. I get him the rest of the night."

"Oh, lucky you! Can't you get the doctor to dope him up?"

"Nope. I've dealt with some difficult patients but this guy is the worst. Thank God he doesn't have a roommate or that person would want to jump out the window...or shove him out. I vote for that."

"At least he's being quiet now."

"Enjoy it while it lasts."

Belle giggled. "Am I correct in assuming they're referring to your father?" she asked Neal.

"Umm...yeah. Like I said, he's pissed about being here and lets them all know it every chance he gets. I wouldn't mind having all these cute nurses taking care of me," he said with a grin. Belle swatted him.

"Shame on you, Neal Gold. If Emma heard you say that!"

Neal wheeled Belle into his father's room. The curtain was drawn, blocking Robert from seeing the doorway.

"Now what the hell do you people want?!" he barked.

"Ummm...it's me, Papa...and Belle." Neal said as they approached the bed.

Robert sighed as he gazed over at Belle. "Go on and say it."

"I think your son and I have every right to kick your ass!" she scolded. "We both told you something was wrong but you weren't listening and acting like a beast with the hospital staff isn't going to get you out of here any faster. High blood pressure is nothing to mess around with...and it can lead to worse problems."

"I hate bloody hospitals," he muttered.

"So do I but we're here and we have to grin and bear it," she said.

"You're leaving tomorrow," he pointed out. "And I suppose you'll be going back to your...apartment."

"No, I'm going to your place to make sure you behave."

He scowled. "I'm not a child!" he barked.

"You're acting like one."

Neal watched the exchange between his father and Belle with a smile. He'd seen his parents argue frequently but the insults they threw at each other were more hurtful while these ones were merely a defensive tactic to hide their true feelings for each other. It seemed that everyone else around them knew they were in love, he just wished they would admit to each other and act on it.

"It would be so cool if Belle became your stepmom," Emma said to him one day after they'd had a lengthy conversation about it. He even broached the subject with Dr. Hopper as well. The therapist also noticed a change in Robert's demeanor for the better and worst. His rages were occurring more frequently yet he was also confiding in the doctor more than usual and most of the time it was about Belle. When the doctor finally posed the difficult question, his patient issued a firm and angry denial.

The next morning was difficult for both Robert and Belle. Belle wanted to stay in the hospital with him until he was also released and he preferred being home with her than being confined in the most uncomfortable bed he'd ever slept in, listening to the overhead paging system going on all night and having nurses and doctors poke and prod at him. His only consolation was that he knew Belle would be safe at his home.

It was no coincidence that Neal moved Belle into the guest bedroom that was next door to his father's. Regina was not pleased with this turn of events, fearing it would only make Robert's condition worse instead of better while the teenager reminded her that it was Belle's decision to stay in the house.

Between her therapy sessions, she managed to get more songs written for her Once Upon a Time concept album. Along with the story of Beauty and The Beast, she also wanted to tell the tales of The Little Mermaid and Snow White, making the evil queen that was the Beauty's antagonist, Snow White's as well.

Unfortunately, Robert's busy schedule left the two of them little time to spend together. Her father had him going in and out of court almost every day, having his every action scrutinized. His latest attack centered around Robert being Ariel's new manager. He got home after every hearing frustrated and exhausted and Belle once again worried that the stress would put him back in the hospital and the more she thought about it, the more she realized there was more to their relationship than just business. The times they did spend together, what they couldn't tell each other with words came out in their body language whether it was their eyes meeting and holding for long periods of time, moving closer together when they sat on the sofa or making a point to stop at each other's rooms to say good night but staying a few minutes longer after the words were already spoken just looking at each other. She knew that Robert's history of failed relationships would make it difficult for him to declare his true feelings but she, always wanting to be the brave one, would take the chance and show him how she felt.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this, Belle?" Ariel asked her when she paid her a visit one afternoon and Belle informed her of her plans.

"I'm sure," she said confidently. "I know it hasn't been easy for either of us, but we could be good together. I know we can be. Even Neal agrees which is why he's going to stay with his friend tonight."

"Exactly how far are you willing to go tonight? Just kissing and a little cuddling or do you want to take him to bed? Oh God! You do!" Ariel exclaimed when she saw her friend smile.

"Why are you so shocked, Ari? He's still an attractive man...and quite capable."

"As far as you know."

"Even if he can't, and I don't believe that for a minute, I want more out of our relationship than just sex," Belle argued.

"Yeah but you gotta admit sex is an important part of any relationship."

"Let me remind you of something Ari: Gaston thought he was the ultimate stud and he treated me like shit the entire time we were together, using me for his personal punching bag and I was stupid enough to let him. I've known Robert less time than that and although he has a bad temper at times, he's never struck out at me and he's gone out of his way to make me feel special."

"I'm still not sure this is such a good idea, Belle," Ariel protested. Belle patted her hand.

"I do."

It never ceased to amaze Robert how there were times when he didn't even have to take steps to make sure his wishes were carried out...sometimes they just happened and the news he received from his contact in the police department made him feel more at ease. Gaston, the woman abusing bastard was now a vegetable after being beaten to a pulp in the prison lunch room after making the mistake of bragging about what he'd done to Belle to another inmate who happened to have a life-sized poster of his dream girl on the wall above his bunk. He knew Belle wouldn't be happy that one of her fans resorted to violence but at least she was safe from him now and that was one less reason for his blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels and sleep with the gun under his pillow.

He drove home looking forward to spending the rest of the evening in Belle's company. She didn't talk much but her voice was sounding better and the reports he was receiving from her therapists showed promise that she would be able to return to the stage and sing as beautifully as she had before yet it also served as a reminder to him that she would no longer need him once she was back to her old self again. As much as he tried to deny it, he didn't want her to leave. She and Neal brought the only light into his dark world but he knew she could never love him now matter how much he longed for it.

As soon as he opened the front door he was treated to the mouthwatering aroma of a roast baking in the oven and the faint scent of roses. He walked into the dining room, surprised to see only two places set.

"Belle?" he called out.

"Hello Robert," she said softly as she appeared at the top of the steps wearing a strapless blue silk dress with a pencil skirt. He gripped the handle of his cane tightly when she descended the staircase and stopped in front of him.

"W...What's going on?" he asked nervously.

"Dinner...just the two of us," she replied.

"Where's Neal?"

"He's staying at a friend's house tonight. Don't you remember him asking you?"

"Did he? Must've slipped my mind," he muttered.

"Why don't you take a shower and get changed?" she suggested. "Dinner should be ready by then."

"Right..."

As he was walking up the stairs, his foot caught on the carpet. He felt himself falling backwards until a pair of arms reached out for him and he spun around, his breath catching in his throat when he found himself with his head being cradled against Belle's breasts...her barely covered breasts.

I'm in Heaven...and Hell...he thought.

"Robert, are you all right?" she asked worriedly.

No, I'm not.

His ankle now hurt like hell, his blood pressure was probably off the charts, his heart was racing, was quickly reminded that he wasn't dead below the waist...yet and if he didn't get the hell away from her soon he'd lose what little self-control he had left and act out every fantasy he had of her since the moment he saw her, starting with peeling the bodice of that dress away from her breasts and kissing them. He groaned.

"Robert..." she whispered.

He looked up and backed away from her. "I...uhhh...better go get that shower now." he said as he limped up the stairs. When he entered his bedroom he slammed the door shut and tossed his cane onto the bed. "You stupid horny bastard!" he scolded himself while he undressed. "You need a shower all right...a fucking cold one!"

Belle leaned against the wall, her body trembling. So close, they'd been so close! There was nothing she wanted more than to feel his lips on her breasts...on every inch of her body just as they were every night in her dreams for the last week, as the devious Rumplestiltskin and as himself. There was still time. She returned to the kitchen to get dinner ready while she waited for him to come back downstairs.

Thirty minutes later Robert stood in the middle of his bedroom still wrapped in a towel, shivering. The cold shower did nothing to ease his discomfort, only make it worse when he couldn't get images of having Belle in that stall with him out of his mind.

I should never have asked her to stay here. She's a distraction...she's driving me crazy! Regina's right. I have to get rid of her before she turns me into the drunken, sexually frustrated, depressed piece of shit I was when I was with Milah.

He tore off the towel, put on his pajamas and went downstairs to put an end to this nonsense once and for all. He found Belle sitting in the dining room sipping a glass of wine.

"You're not dressed," she observed with a frown.

"Oh but I am. I'm going to bed." he said coolly.

"But...we...we were supposed to have dinner together!" she protested.

"I'm not hungry. And you might want to start packing your things. You'll be leaving in the morning."

"What?!" she cried. "Why?"

"I don't want you here anymore, dearie. And I'm withdrawing from your father's lawsuit. You'll need to look for a new manager...unless you still want to let him keep controlling your life."

"Robert, I don't understand...why are you doing this?" she croaked.

"You're a distraction...and I can't afford distractions."

"Y...You...you bastard!" she sobbed, picking up her wine glass and throwing it at him. He ducked and the glass shattered against the wall behind his head.

"You'll be replacing that."

"I don't care!" she cried as she jumped out of her chair and ran over to him. "Robert, please, you don't mean this. I don't want to go...I love you...I want to be with you..."

"Nice try dearie, but Regina puts on a better act than you do."

"It's not an act goddammit!" she snarled as she pushed him back against the wall and kissed him. "I...love...you!" she insisted punctuating every word with a kiss.

"No you don't!" he hissed, holding her away from him. "So just shut the fuck up!"

"Why don't you believe me?"

He grabbed her by the arms and glared down at her, shaking her. "Because no woman has ever, ever loved me!" he raged. "I want you gone when I get up in the morning!" he added bitterly as he spun on his heel and left the room. Belle wrapped her arms around her stomach and sank to the floor, sobbing brokenly.

Instead of retreating to the basement as he had before when his rage got the best of him, he stormed upstairs to his bedroom and threw everything he could get his hands on, collapsing into bed with a blinding headache.

It's for the best... he kept telling himself. She's better off...and so are you.

Now he wasn't so sure anymore. Every time he closed his eyes the only thing he could see was Belle's face streaked with tears.

"Belle..." he moaned, burying his face in his pillow to muffle his sobs.

"Robert..." Belle wept while she lay on the sofa, so exhausted it was the closest place she could crawl to.

When Belle returned from town with the basket of straw on her arm she found Rumplestiltskin at his spinning wheel making a desperate attempt to hide his joy that she'd returned.

"Oh, you're back already. Good. Good thing. I'm, uh... I'm nearly out of straw," he said nonchalantly.

Belle set the basket down. "Come on, you're happy that I'm back."

"I'm not unhappy," he admitted.

"And you uh, promised me a story," she reminded him.

"Did I?"

"Mh-hmm." She took the thread away from him and sat down. Tell me about your son."

"I lost him," he said evasively. "There's nothing more to tell, really."

"And since then you've loved no one and no one has loved you?"

She felt him leaning towards her. "Why did you come back?" he whispered.

"I wasn't going to but then something changed my mind." She leaned towards him and gently pressed her lips to his. Her heart started beating faster when she saw his cursed skin melting away revealing a handsome man with long brown hair.

"Oh..." Rumplestiltskin muttered, his eyes closed. "What's happening?"

"Kiss me again, it's working!" she said excitedly.

"What is?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Any curse can be broken."

He stood up his scaly skin returning as his curse once again took hold of him. "Who told you that? Who knows that?!" he demanded.

"I-I-I don't know. She, uh... she...she..." she stammered.

"She," he hissed as he walked over to one of the mirrors and snatched the cover off. "You evil soul. This was you! You turned her against me! You think you can make me weak? You think you can defeat me!?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"The queen! Your friend, the Queen! How did she get to you?"

"The-the Queen? I don't understand..."

"I knew this was a trick. I knew you could never care for me. Oh, yeah. You're working for her. Or is this all you? Is this you being the hero and killing the beast?"

"It was working!"

"Shut up!"

"This means it's true love!"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Why won't you believe me?!"

"Because no one...No one could ever, ever love me!" he yelled as he shook her. He took her by the arm and led her down into the dungeon, shoving her inside. It felt like days since she'd been locked in when the door finally opened.

"So... what are you going to do to me?" she asked.

"Go," he ordered, pointing toward the open door and turning away from her

"Go?"

"I don't want you anymore, dearie."

Belle stood up, straightened her dress and was about to leave when she regathered her courage and turned to face him.

"You know, you were freeing yourself. You could have had happiness if you just believed that someone could want you. But you couldn't take the chance."

"That's a lie."

"You're a coward, Rumplestiltskin. And no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change," she reminded him.

I'm not a coward, dearie. It's quite simple, really. My power... means more to me than you."

"No. No, it doesn't. You just don't think I can love you. Now, you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it. Forever. And all you'll have... is an empty heart...and a chipped cup," she said, her voice cracking as her emotions overwhelmed her. She held his gaze until she walked out the door. Once she was beyond the castle walls she fell to her knees and burst into tears.


	13. Chapter 13

Belle's eyes fluttered open when she heard a noise in the hallway. She grabbed the fire poker and tiptoed out into the hall, the poker dropping from her hands when she saw Robert sitting on the staircase with his head in his hands, his cane at his feet.

"I...I thought you were going to bed," she stammered.

"What's the point!" he mumbled when he looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. "You'll haunt me when I try to sleep and you'll haunt me when I wake up! I can't get away from you!"

"Don't you think you do the same to me?" she asked.

He laughed bitterly. "In nightmares, maybe."

"No," she murmured, sitting beside him. "In the most wonderful dreams I've ever had. I know it's hard for you to believe Robert but I do love you."

"I'm a difficult man to love, Belle," he said sadly.

"You only think that becuse you've only been with women who made you think that way."

"You think you know everything about me but you don't..."

"I have my issues too, Robert," she reminded him.

"Oh they're probably little ones compared to mine."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. Do you think you're the only one who's gotten to the point where you think the only way out is to end it all?"

"How did you know about that!" he cried frantically. "She told you, didn't she? Dammit, I made that girl swear never to tell anyone! Does Neal know?"

"Robert, calm down. I heard her discussing it with Robin when they brought you to the hospital...but I don't think Neal knows," she answered, attempting to put his mind at ease. "And I would never tell him. Why did you do it?"

"I was drunk and miserable," he grumbled. "The marriage was good for the first five years, if you can call drinking and fucking all the time good because that was basically all we did. Then I started bringing up having kids because I did want them...she didn't, and stupid son of a bitch that I was, I thought she'd change her mind and didn't force the issue...even had enough respect for her to wear a condom...but one night I just forgot and it all went downhill from there. She put on a good act for Neal and all around town but the gloves came off when it came to me. Finally I just decided I was sick of it and it was only after I heard Neal crying for me that I had second thoughts only I couldn't get my drunk ass stable enough to stop me from taking the dive anyway. When I woke up my boss was there lecturing me about how stupid I was to let her get me by the balls. After that, I stopped giving a shit about everyone else but my son...and Regina when she isn't getting on my nerves. Oh, I'm not saying I haven't avoided women since then...just haven't gotten too involved...until now and it scares the hell out of me."

She turned towards him, reached across his lap and took his hands in hers. "We've both been hurt too many times but I think we can be good for each other...if we try. I want to and I think you do too," she said softly. He carefully detached one of his hands from hers and gently caressed her cheek. "Tonight didn't end the way I wanted it to," she confessed.

"How did you want it to end?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

She took a deep breath. Be brave, Belle. Be brave. "With you in my arms...in my bed," she murmured. "I know what you're going to say," she added, rasing her hand to his lips to silence him before the words escaped them. "You're going to say I deserve someone younger, more handsome with less baggage. I've been there and done that...and only made myself miserable. I don't want that anymore...I just want you...baggage and all."

"Belle," he moaned as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, gently brushing his lips against hers. She draped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, their lips parting, their tongues gently exploring each other's mouthes. "I'm all wrong for you, God knows I'm all wrong for you but I don't want to let you go now..." he murmured, his forehead touching hers.

"I'm not going anywhere...I love you," Belle whispered, kissing him again, her hands reaching for the buttons on his pajama top. "And I want to make love to you..." she added when she had the top three buttons undone and reached inside the silk shirt to caress his chest. Robert growled hungrily and pushed the bodice of her dress down to her waist, his hands gently stroking her breasts. Belle lay back on the steps, pulling her down with him.

"Belle...sweetheart...I think we should take this upstairs..." he said between kisses and helped her to her feet. "I'd pick you up but..."

"It doesn't matter," she said softly as she took his hand in hers and let him lead her upstairs. She expected him to take her her room but instead they walked into his. He detached his hand from hers and stood in front of the bed with his back to her, sighing deeply. "Robert, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't think I can do this," he confessed sadly.

"Why not?" she inquired when she faced him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"It's been a long time...you have no idea how long and I don't want to disappoint you."

"You won't," she assured him, taking his hands in hers. She crawled onto the bed and pulled him on top of her, her lips seeking his as she pulled his pajama top off and let it fall to the floor beside the bed. "Robert, please...I want you...I need you..." she pleaded, the passion in her voice encouraging him while she helped him out of the rest of his clothes. He slowly removed her clothing and they joined the rest of his clothing on the growing pile on the floor.

"My son was right...you are a goddess...my goddess," he murmured. While other men she'd been with treated her worse than a piece of meat, Robert made her feel like the goddess she never thought she was, taking his time to learn what pleased her the most and she was more than willing to return the favor...if he would let her. For the moment he was more focused on her. She sensed he was still self-conscious about how he looked to her and wanted to strangle the two bitches who brought him to that point. He had nothing to fear from her.

"If this...oh God...is how good you are when you're...out of practice...then I can...only imagine what you're like when you...ohhhh..get lots of it!" Belle panted as he kissed a trail down her stomach. She gripped the sheets tightly while he stroked her, her control almost to its breaking point yet she wouldn't cheat him out of the pleasure he seemed to have exploring her body.

Robert was stunned. Neither Cora nor Milah had much patience for foreplay and often mocked his performance, either telling him he was finished too quickly or they had more excitement watching paint dry. After a while he didn't even want to think about sex. Now for the first time in years he wanted to believe Belle when she told him she could love him just the way he was...baggage and all.

"Belle...are you sure you want to...?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "Don't let what they told you ruin what we could have together. Please?"

They both wished they could erase their pasts with Milah, Cora, Gaston and the two other men Belle knew but chose to forget and make believe they were each other's firsts. In a sense they were. Robert now knew what he felt for both of the women in his past was more lust than love and as Belle knew she'd never truly loved the men she'd been with before him. To her, like her fictional counterpart, love was layered, a mystery to be uncovered and in each other's arms, in his bed, their mystery began. Every kiss, every touch, every movement of their bodies stripped away one more painful layer, leaving another, more pleasant one in its place.

Later as she lay in Robert's arms she debated whether she should tell him about Once Upon a Time.

"Robert...are you asleep?" she asked softly.

"Hmmm...what?"

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for, sweetheart?"

"Waking you up."

"I just rested my eyes a bit."

"It can wait til morning."

"Obviously not. Come on, what is it?"

"Can I show you something?"

He grinned. "Anything you like."

"Not that. Get your mind out of the gutter," she said as she crawled out of bed and went down the hall to her bedroom. When she returned she held a folder in her hands.

"What's that?" he inquired.

"It's ummm...stuff for a concept album."

Robert reached for his reading glasses on the nightstand and put them on, propping some pillows behind his back so that he could sit up. "Concept album, hmmm? All right, I'll take a look."

"...Well...?" Belle demanded impatiently as he set the pages of Once she'd written aside later on. "You hate it, don't you?"

"Now what makes you think that, dearie?" he asked in Rumplestiltskin's high pitched voice. She grabbed the pages from him and smacked with them. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Would you just quit playing around and tell me!?" she cried.

"It's a gamble but one that might work," he admitted. "You actually make the audience feel sympathy for all these characters, even that crazy imp who just happens to act and talk a lot like me. When did that happen?"

"The night we met," she admitted.

"I don't know whether I should be flattered or worried and as much as I hate to admit it, I can't see anyone else in the role of the Evil Queen other than Regina. She can't sing the Evil Queen's songs but Ariel could. But who would be singing the male parts?"

"Graham," Belle replied. "I've always wanted to add male and female vocals to our stuff but my father wouldn't allow it..unless they were Gaston's."

"That figures," Robert snorted. "Well...you left off after he throws her out of the castle but what did you plan on doing with her after that? The Evil Queen considers her a weapon to use against him...why not have her capture Belle and make him think she's dead?" he suggested.

"Robert, that's cruel!" she cried.

"Cruel yes, but it would make him realize he does love her and wants her back as much as she wanted to stay."

"Are we still talking about Belle and Rumple or you and me now?"

"Both. I felt like the world's biggest fool as soon as I told you to leave and I honestly thought you would leave. Rumplestiltskin has the same regrets...only it won't be as easy for him to make things right. The story wouldn't be as interesting if that were so. And somewhere back here you mentioned The Evil Queen has a curse...a curse Rumple also wanted to use that would take them to another world...without magic and without their memories of their lives in the Enchanted Forest." he said as he turned back several pages. "Where is that?"

"I don't really know. I wasn't even sure if I was going to make the curse a major part of the plot or not. I...I was more interested in the love story developing. Well, my muse, what would you as Rumplestiltskin do?"

"Delegate," he replied.

"What?"

He chuckled. "I don't always like to get my hands dirty, dearie, so I make others do the dirty work for me. Maybe this curse requires something he doesn't want to do so instead of casting it himself, he leaves that up to the Evil Queen. Think about it: she wants revenge on Snow White, Rumple powerless and weak...what better way to do it than casting the curse? It's an offer she can't refuse. Of course, he has to hold back some vital information about it so that it fails the first time she casts it and needs him to tell her what to do...for a price."

"Mmmm...and what would his price be?" Belle asked softly.

"Well you wouldn't expect him to give up his expensive lifestyle now that he's gotten used to it, now would you?"

"No, not really." she giggled, wondering why she hadn't shown him what she'd written months ago. His ideas actually made sense to her.

"What else?"

"To sweeten the deal, he'd want to have some way to get the upper hand with her..."

"Go on."

"You're taxing my brain quite a bit."

"Yes but you seem to understand the character better than I do now."

"He could tell her that if he asks her to do something she has to do it...as long as he says please," he said. "After all, it's just good manners."

She giggled. "So...what does she have to do to cast the curse."

"Sacrifice the person she loves the most. Since Rumple wants the curse to find his son, he can't make that kind of sacrifice...but the queen in her desire for revenge can."

"Robert have you ever thought about becoming a writer?"

"I might ask you the same question. If this doesn't pan out as a concept album it would make an interesting fantasy series."

"Or if my voice doesn't come back," Belle said sadly.

"Why haven't you been telling me how your sessions are going?"

"Darling, you have enough on your plate now as it is..."

"That doesn't mean I'm not worried! Singing means so much to you and I don't want you to be unhappy if you can't do it. You're a beautiful woman who can do anything she wants to do, be anything she wants to."

"I love you," she said breathlessly as she pulled him back to her and kissed him. The man barely had any confidence in himself yet there he was, trying to reinforce it in her.

"We'll tell your stories Belle. One way or another," he vowed. His greatest hope was that it would be back on the stage with her singing. "But first...you have to finish the story."

"We have to finish the story," she murmured. "But not tonight..." she added as she removed his glasses and set them on the nightstand along with the folder containing her Once lyrics and stories. "Tonight I want to finish working on our story."


	14. Chapter 14

Neal felt like he was on cloud nine. He knew he was taking the risk of being grounded for life when his father found out what he'd been up to all night but it was well worth it. He and Emma had been dancing around the subject for months, even coming close to actually following through with it once or twice only it was never the right time or place. As soon as she told him her parents were going to be gone for two days they knew they had the perfect opportunity. Taking it seemed difficult until their goddess provided them with the solution...and solved another problem he was having...how the hell to get his dad to pull his head out of his ass and finally admit he felt more for Belle than just friendship.

"Neal, would you be able to spend the night at a friend's house tonight? I'm sorry it's such short notice but...ummm..." Belle stammered

"You want to be alone with my dad?"

"I...ah..."

"I know you love him, Belle. You don't hide it very well."

"I do love him," she confessed. "And I know he loves me."

"I can ahh...stay at Henry's."

"You be sure to ask your father."

"Yeah, I'll call him during lunch."

He was expecting his father to come up with some flimsy excuse as to why he couldn't only Robert seemed distracted when he called and got his permission. Neal doubted he would even remember doing it in the morning if all went according to Belle's plan. She hadn't given him all the details, just that she planned to surprise Robert with a dinner for two. Where things went after that...was up to him. Even if Belle's plans fell through, his only consolation was that his and Emma's didn't.

When he opened the front door he heard a loud moan coming from his father's room. Concerned he'd had an accident or another fainting spell, Neal rushed up the stairs and swung the bedroom door open, blinking his eyes twice to be sure of what he was seeing...his father and his goddess naked...in his father's bed...doing it!

"Oh...Holy...Shit!" he breathed.

"Oh my God!" Belle screamed. "Robert...oh my God...Robert...it's Neal." she cried and shook his shoulder to get his attention.

"What!" Robert gasped, grabbing the sheet and throwing it over him and Belle. "Neal! I distinctly remember teaching you how to knock!"

"I...ahh...heard you...ummm...and I thought you were hurt so I ahh...I'll just go to my room!" the teenager said and dashed out of the room.

"Oh fuck..." Robert grumbled when he rolled over onto his back. "Just when I thought I'd avoided that ever happening! Belle..goddammit...it's not funny!" he scolded while she curled up beside him and giggled.

"Now we know what it was he heard that brought him up here," she said with a smirk.

"He is never going to let me live this down. We might as well go have a talk with him. I don't even want to wonder how long he was standing there or how much he saw!" he muttered as he crawled out of bed and started getting dressed, cursing when his cellphone rang and it was Regina.

Back in his own bedroom Neal frantically dialed Emma's number. It rang several times before she finally picked up.

"'Lo?" she asked sleepily.

"Emma...I just got home and oh my God...you are not gonna believe this! I...uhh...heard somebody moaning so I thought maybe my dad had one of his attacks and I went upstairs...and...I saw him and Belle in bed...doing it!"

"Yeah right. Tell me another one, Gold."

"I'm serious! I kinda freaked them both out...hell I freaked out but oh my God...it'll be so fucking awesome if she marries my dad!"

"You really saw them in bed together?"

"Yeah. My dad was kinda pissed and Belle looked like she wanted to crawl in a hole."

"Ummm...Neal...he doesn't know that's what we were doing last night, does he?"

"No."

"And Henry's not gonna blab is he?"

"Don't think so."

"Neal Byron Gold!" he heard his father shout from behind the door. "You come out of there right now. I want to talk to you!"

"Oh shit...I don't think this is about me catching him and Belle.."

"You wait...as soon as I see Henry in school his ass is mine!" Emma threatened.

"Talk to you later..."

"If I have to count to three there's going to be a big problem!" Robert yelled. Neal opened the door and found his father and Belle standing on the other side, fully dressed thank the Lord but neither of them looked happy, especially his father who had his hands behind his back. "You want to tell me where you were last night?" he demanded.

"Ummm.."

"I'm waiting."

"Don't you remember...I told you I was gonna stay with Henry."

"Try again, dearie. I just spoke with Regina and she told me you weren't there nor were you planning on staying there. Now I'm gonna ask you again: Where...Were...You...Last...Night?"

"Ummm..."

"Would you like me to tell you or just let the evidence speak for itself?" Robert asked as he brought his hands out from behind his back, a box of condoms in it.

"Ummm...didn't you use...?"

"I know how many I used and that's all that should've been missing out of here but there's more than that, isn't there? Now I know we both haven't been doing anything to need these before last night because I've been counting them. And just where were Emma's parents during all this?"

"Umm...out of town. You told me if I did anything to be careful so I was..."

"And that excuses it?"

"Ummm...no," Neal mumbled, eyes to the floor.

"No, it doesn't. You're grounded...for a month. And I'll be confiscating your phone, laptop and tablet."

"Awww, Papa!" Neal whined.

"Don't you 'awww Papa' me. You're grounded. End of discussion. Now go get those things and bring them here."

The teenager glanced over at Belle, his eyes pleading with her to try to soften his father up a bit, a serious error in judgement on his part because it only made the older man angrier. He had sixteen years' worth of experience with the boy's tricks and trying to get someone else to undermine him, especially a female, was the one he despised the most while his father returned the condoms to their hiding place in his room.

"Neal, might as well quit while you're ahead. It's not going to work," Belle sais sternly. "You lied to me and you lied to you father. Now take your punishment like a man."

He glared at both of them and retreated to his room, slamming the door behind him. Minutes later he returned, shoving the electronic devices into his father's hands before he slammed the door shut again.

"That boy is determined to make me fully grey before I'm sixty," Robert muttered as he and Belle walked downstairs.

"How the hell do you do it?" Belle asked.

"Do what?"

"Keep so calm with him when he does things like that?"

"I've learned to develop some patience over the years when it comes to him." he replied when they entered his office. He unlocked one his desk drawers, placed the equipment in it and relocked it. "He may drive me up a wall sometimes but he was the main reason why I'm still here instead of six feet under. I don't even want to think about what kind of life he would've had with Milah as his full time parent."

"I will not be responsible for my actions if I ever see that bitch...or Cora."

"I doubt you'll ever see Cora...unless Regina wins the Oscar. Then she'll come round and try to bask in Regina's glory. Always did."

They were in the middle of eating breakfast when Neal joined them, his attitude improved. He spent most of the morning thinking that he needed to be on his best behavior so that it didn't drive Belle away.

"So...ahhh...will you be moving your stuff into Papa's room?" he asked her.

"If she wants..."

"Yes, I am."

"Okay but if you're gonna...do anything...might want to warn me first," he teased. Belle blushed. "And uhhh...keep it down a bit."

Robert slapped his forehead and groaned. "Bloody hell! Finish your breakfast. Don't want you to be late for school."

"I'd better get going too. I don't want to be late for my session. Ari's picking me up so you don't need to call a cab for me," Belle said to Robert. She slung her purse over her shoulder and leaned down to kiss him. "Have a good day. I love you."

"I love you, sweetheart. I should be home in time for dinner."

"You better be. And you better behave for your father, okay Neal?" Belle asked when she kissed Neal's cheek.

Robert chuckled.

"I will," he promised. They heard a car horn blaring outside. Belle grabbed her jacket and hurried out to the car where an impatient Ariel waited and not just because she wanted to get her friend to therapy on time. Like all good best friends, she wanted to know the details of the night before and if they were good ones. Belle barely got in the car before Ariel began her interrogation.

"How did it go?"

Belle smiled. "A little rocky at first...but after that...it was wonderful," she murmured. "And no I am not going to go into detail so put that thought out of your mind."

"I tell you!"

"Let me just say that Robert makes me feel things I never felt with anyone else. We both still have a lot of issues but we'll get through them. And...I told him about actually gave me some interesting ideas on how to finish it."

"I'm supposed to meet him for lunch today. Let's see what he tells me."

For the past two weeks, Belle's therapy sessions seemed to be going well. Her voice was improving under with the voice exercises she was being given. It was as if she'd had to learn to sing all over again. To prevent further damage to her vocal cords, it was even suggested that she do them every day, especially before a long singing performance. She'd never done that before. She was back to the point where she could sing most of the songs from Scarlet Letter and Grapes of Wrath the same as before but still struggled with the high notes on Haunted Palace. She would be devastated if she could never again sing the piece that had become her signature song. She even got the band together before they were supposed to go on with Ariel and they sang some of the songs from Once.

Ariel noticed a dramatic change in her new manager's demeanor during their lunch and bravely asked her question again.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes I do," he answered without hesitation. "I'm sorry it took me this long to finally admit it. I assume she's told you about my...issues."

"No. That's between the two of you. However, if you hurt her, your ass is mine." Ariel threatened.

"Well I have no intentions of doing that. About her concept album material...have you all practiced any of it?"

"Yeah. She wants to do a whole stage show of it but to be honest, I can't see anyone else playing that imp but you and your son, his girlfriend and Regina playing Rumple, Baelfire, Snow White's daughter and the Evil Queen."

"The others could do it but...I haven't been on a stage since I was a lad and I get stagefright...puke my guts out."

"You'd do it for Belle, wouldn't you?"

"I'd do anything for her."

"Tell you what...why don't we all start getting together and running through it...if you can get Regina on board, that is," Ariel suggested.

"Leave that to me," he assured her.

"So you're my ex-husband's latest pet project. I'm not surprised. You're just his type...young and naive." Milah Gold taunted when Belle opened the door to find Robert's ex-wife on the other side of it later that afternoon.

"What are you doing here?" Belle demanded.

"For one thing he owes me my ailmony check and another...I wanted to see the woman who thinks she can replace me as my son's mother and what do I find...not a woman but a girl." She laughed. "You're supposed to have this amazing voice yet you sound like you were sucking on a vaccum cleaner's hose."

"You're real funny bitch," Belle grumbled. "At least I care about your son enough to spend time with him, which is more than I can say for you. And as for my voice, it'll be back."

"You'd better hope so because if not he's going to toss you out on that pretty little ass of yours. If there's one thing Robert does well, it's dispose of people of who are of no use to him anymore. What...oh do you think he's in love with you? Please. He only loves what wealth he can get out of you and that voice of yours."

"He does love me," Belle insisted.

"And he's lousy in bed." Milah taunted.

"Oh I don't think so," Belle countered. "Look, I know what you're trying to do and it's not gonna work. The point is, he loves me and I love him. You don't want him anymore...you have another man...and between the two of them I got the better one. So I suggest you leave and please make sure the door hits you in the ass on the way out!"

They heard a snicker behind them and saw Regina on the sidewalk.

"What are you laughing at!" Milah snapped at her.

"You don't know how long I've been wanting to say something similar to you, bitch," she sneered. "Oh...and you may as well kiss your alimony goodbye because you've just given Robert a damned good reason to cut you off."

"He's not getting rid of me that easily!" Milah screamed as she stormed off. She got in her car, her tires screeching against the pavement when she floored the gas pedal. Regina rolled her eyes.

"What the hell did he ever seen in her," she grumbled.

"Someone he thought loved him," Belle answered. "Why are you here?"

"I owe you an apology...again. I underestimated you. I thought you were just another pretty face interested in what you could get out of my godfather but you're not. You really do love him, don't you you?"

"Yes. I know he has his issues and so do I but we're going to work them out together. I also know how important you are to him despite his words to the contrary sometimes. Won't you come in," Belle said, stepping aside to let the other woman into the house. "Unless...you're busy."

"I'm not."

Belle served the other woman some apple cider, Regina genuinely surprised that the other woman knew it was her favorite drink while she sipped some tea. They talked mostly about Robert, his previous relationship with Regina's mother and his troubled marriage to Milah, what Regina knew of it. For the first time in a long time, Belle began to open up about her own past. Until that point only Ariel knew the full truth.

"You were supposed to be a twin? And your brother was stillborn?"

Belle nodded. "I came close to death myself. Had the doctors not done a C-section on my mother, we both would've died. There were many times over the years when I saw how my father treated me that I wished I had. He blamed me for my brother's death."

"I'm sorry Belle but your father is an ass and you really need to get away from him because he's just like my mother...living his dreams through you. My mother wanted to be an actress but she bombed her first audition and never went back. After that, all she was concerned with was marrying a rich man. She really burned Rob and drove my father to an early grave."

"I'd never hurt him like that Regina. It would be like stabbing my own heart."

"I know that...now. Which brings me to the other reason why I'm here. You really saw me as this Evil Queen in your story?"

"I don't mean to offend you but...yes. Robert told you then?"

"He did...I like it. It sounds like it will be one helluva show...if you can get Rob to do his part that is. He hasn't been on stage for years. Throws up before he goes on...but you've made him believe he can love again so I think he'd be able to overcome his stagefright for you."

"I still have to finish the story," Belle reminded her.

"I may have some ideas...if you want to hear them."

Belle smiled. "Of course I would."

Robert, Jefferson and Sidney Glass were all gathered in his office while Robert waited for Neal to finish cleaning the restrooms. Jefferson and Sidney uncovered a treasure trove of information that could be used against Maurice in the lawsuit in his financial records. Him having a serious gambling addiction was not as much of a cause for concern to Robert as the man robbing his own daughter blind to cover his debts was. The paper trail was long and went back to the year when Ligeia was first formed. Making matters worse was the knowledge that Gaston had also been forging Belle's name on checks from her accounts.

"If that damned Gaston wasn't already half dead, his ass would be back in jail," Robert snarled.

"How do you want to do this, Rob?"

He sighed. "I don't know. I have Belle to think about and this is going to hurt her...damn that son of a bitch!" he snarled, slamming his fist into the desk. Had this kind of situation arose with any of his clients, he would just told them and been done with it. As much as he despised Maurice Chamonceaux, he couldn't bring himself to tell Belle what a thieving scoundrel he was. She still loved her father, she cold deny it all she wished yet he still sensed it. Then he thought about Belle's story and the legendary dealmaker she'd given many of his personality traits to and could almost hear her asking the question.

Tell my muse, what would you as Rumplestiltskin do?

Well dearie, when one person wants what another has, a deal can always be struck,he thought and he certainly had something Maurice Chamonceaux would be willing to bargain for and it wasn't Belle. He held the man's freedom in his hands. He smiled as he gathered up all the printed evidence of Maurice's thievery and tucked it into his briefcase. He also had copies stored on flash drives and gave two of them to Jefferson and Sidney for safekeeping.

"Get the hell out of my office!" Maruice barked when he looked up from his laptop screen and saw Robert standing in front of him.

"Oh I think you'll wanna hear what I have to say," he said as he threw a stack of papers on the desk. "It's one thing to steal from a client but when that client happens to be your own daughter...well...that reaches a level of low even I would never stoop to. How long were you going to continue punishing her for something that wasn't her fault? Until she was out on the street without a dime?" Robert went on before Maurice had a chance to answer. "Yes, I know about your son being stillborn but that parasite Gaston is not your son. Any other day I'd take all of this straight to Belle and let her know what a lying, thieving son of a bitch you are and make her hate you because it's exactly what you deserve. But I love your daughter too much to hurt her like that."

"You...what?!"

"I...love...her. Strange coming from me, isn't it? You think I'm not capable of it? I am now and it's because of the daughter you don't want to claim unless she's making money for you but there's a lot more to her than just her looks or her talent. So I'm here to make you a deal: drop the lawsuit and let me be Ligeia's manager and I'll put back every penny you stole from your daughter. In return, your dirty little secret stays safe. If not...I'll take the risk of hurting her and expose you where in all likelihood you'll go to prison for embezzlement, little as I want to do it. Tick toc, dearie...clock's ticking," he said, his voice becoming more high pitched.

Damn, I'm starting to sound more like that imp!

"I'll do it!" Maurice growled.

"What's that?"

"I said I'll do it!" he shouted. "I'll drop the goddamn lawsuit and you can have it all...the band...her...I don't give a damn."

"Don't think this gives you free reign to make her miserable because the moment you do, the deal's off," Robert threatened as he placed all the papers back into his briefcase and turned to leave.

"Rot in hell, Gold!" Maurice snarled.

"You first," Robert threw over his shoulder and closed the door behind him, Maurice's howl of fury music to his ears.

While the band finished the tour with Ariel and Eric as new members, they also worked on songs and scenes for Once Upon a Time, developing it into a full scale stage show. Belle had yet to sing any of the material she'd written for the show in front of the others but she did sing them in private, please with how her voice sounded. The only complication they had was trying to get Robert to overcome his stage fright. Although he wasn't on a stage, he was nauseated before every one of his scenes and making matters worse, Belle had to witness it. Still she wanted no one else in the role she wrote for him and after a long session with Dr Hopper, he had some methods he could use to calm himself.

Their own relationship was going well, sporadic visits from Milah being the only dark spot but Robert was controlling his temper more and more around her. Maurice never visited a all, nor did Belle expect him to. She was horrified weeks later when she learned her father was arrested and charged with embezzlement, leading to an argument between her and Robert.

"I told you I wanted us to be honest with each other!" she cried. "How could you keep this from me?"

"Because I knew how much it would hurt you!" he shouted. "I don't know how it got out but I never told anyone. That was the deal I made. And I made Jefferson and Sidney swear to secrecy too."

"I should have known...when my accounts were always fluctuating, I should have known," she said bitterly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Robert, please don't keep something like that from me again. I know you meant well but I want us to be completely honest with each other...no matter how much it may hurt."

Having dealt with lies most of his life, honesty was still a struggle with him but he was learning and he hated fighting with her. The good thing was they didn't stay angry at each other for long. They always found ways to talk it out and Dr Hopper was always willing to lend an ear when they needed a neutral party involved.

"Robert, I'm ready."

"Ready for what, sweetheart?"

"To go back onstage." she answered with a smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am."

A week later tickets went on sale for a one night show in Los Angeles.


	15. Chapter 15

"Belle, please think about this. If you go out there and try to sing before you're ready you could damage your voice beyond repair!" Robert cried.

"I'm ready," she insisted.

"How do I know that?! I haven't heard you sing since...since before that bastard Gaston..."

She smiled softly as she placed her hands on her shoulders. "I love you for being worried about me but you don't have to be. I'm back." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him softly. "I just need you and Neal to be ready when we start the Once Upon a Time stuff."

"I'm beginning to like acting like that crazy imp," Robert confessed with a smirk.

"And I love seeing you in all that leather. But what I love more is taking it off," she murmured.

"Well then I'll be sure to keep it on til after we get home."

"I would tell you two to get a room but we've got a show to put on," Ariel said when she approached them with her hands on her hips.

"You're up first so I have time to play," Belle teased.

"Well, keep it down. It'd be really embarrassing if I heard one of you moaning clear out there and Live and Let Die isn't long enough to cover a quickie unless...well, we won't go into all that."

"Oh, will you get out there! We've got a crowd waiting!" Robert ordered.

"Yes, Rumple!" she taunted as she spun around and walked out onto the stage.

Robert rolled his eyes. "Why do I put up with her?"

"Because she's helped keep us and this band together."

They watched from the side of the stage while Graham addressed the audience. "First off we'd like to introduce you to the newest members of our band...first off straight from Davy Jones' Locker...Eric Tritan!"

Atlantica fans and Ligeia fans cheered loudly.

"And now, direct from under the sea, we give you Ariel Finn Tritan on vocals!"

"Thank you. I'd like to thank both our fans from Atlantica for being with Eric and me from the beginning and also to the Ligeia fans for being so supportive of me in the last year. I know it hasn't been easy for any of you to look up here and not see Belle here with us but I can assure you...she will be here again soon! Let's get this started with a little James Bond. I give you...Live and Let Die!" Ariel bellowed.

Robert's anxiety returned with a vengeance when Live and Let Die ended. Belle patted his shoulder.

"I can do this," she assured him softly and turned on her microphone to begin singing the opening notes from "Haunted Palace" from backstage. Robert stared at her in astonishment. Her voice seemed to be more powerful than ever.

"Everyone, please welcome back Belle Chamonceaux!" Ariel shouted. The applause in the arena was deafening as Belle walked onto the stage to resume the song before the thousands of fans who loved her but her gaze was focused more on the man standing backstage who was close to turning into a blubbering mess. No other singer's voice could hold his attention so firmly as his siren's.

After the song ended Belle herself burst into tears while Ariel supported her.

"Thank you all so much," she choked. "This past year has been a difficult one for me but I don't think I could have gotten through it with the love and support of so many people and I really do want to take the time to show my appreciation to them. First, I'd like to thank all of you here and around the world for your letters, messages and gifts." She waited until the cheers died down before she continued. "The next people I want to thank are the ones here on the stage who've been with me from the beginning of Ligeia. My bandmates and best friends!" She walked down to the front of the stage and kneeled down so that she was at eye level with Neal, Emma and Lyndsey. "The next three people are seated right here and I'd like them to join me onstage."

"Oh my God!" Emma gasped.

"Come on up," Belle urged. The three nervous teenagers climbed onto the stage and were drawn into a fierce hug by Belle. "This is Neal, Emma and Lyndsey. They are the ones who have been kind enough to keep you all up to date on how I have been doing and deserve a round of applause so let's give them one!" The audience readily obeyed. "Now last, but certainly not least I'd like you to meet our new manager, Mr. Robert Gold!"

Robert was making frantic negating gestures backstage. Eric grabbed his arm and pulled him out onto the stage where Belle stood. She laughed. He quickly thanked the audience then retreated backstage with Neal to change into his costume.

"We're gonna do something a little different tonight. The first half hour of the show we'll do some songs from Wrath, Usher and Scarlet Letter but in the remaining hour and a half we're gonna play you some material from our first concept album. It's called Once Upon a Time. For now let's unleash the Wrath with Chase The Dragon!"

"So you think it's so great to fly

What's gonna happen when you come down from your high

And just when you think your battle has been won

Your check out time will finally come

All you've done is leave your loved ones devastated

That is the price you pay for spending your life getting wasted!"

Robert smiled. Most of the songs she'd chosen for the smaller setlist deal with issues close to her heart such as drug use, domestic violence and bullying, all issues she'd either experienced herself or during her relationship with Gaston. She was determined to send a powerful message to their fans and it succeeded. She thanked them at the end of the set and went backstage to change for the opening of the Once Upon a Time set.

The audience cheered again when Belle stepped out onto the stage wearing a blue dress similar to the one the cartoon Belle wore in Disney's Beauty and the Beast with a book clutched in her hand. She opened it as if she were reading.

"Once upon a time in an enchanted forest there lived a wool spinner named Rumplestiltskin and his son Baelfire but the spinner had been branded a coward for choosing to leave his post in the Ogre Wars to stay at home and take care of his son for he loved the boy more than life itself. Then one day the Duke's men came to try to take the child away to fight the wars. The father, desperate to save his son takes the boy and runs away into the forest where they meet a man who is not what he seems..."

Graham joined Belle at the front of the stage and started to sing "Desperate Fool."

"Come to me you desperate fool

Your cowardly hand will be my tool

To release me from my agony

And yours it will then be for all eternity.."

The audience cheered loudly as they watched something they'd never seen before, Graham singing. When the song was over Graham waited behind Belle for Robert and Neal to come out. Belle watched with pride as the two most important men in her life played their parts to perfection. Robert stared in anguish at the bloodstained dagger that was supposed to have Rumplestiltskin's name on it and then smiled wickedly as he began to change into the Dark One, Belle returned to the microphone and opened her book.

"In that moment the man once known as the cowardly spinner Rumplestiltskin became the Dark One, the most evil sorcerer in the Enchanted Forest, preying on the desperate souls that had been just like him once, offering them their hearts' desires...for a price and extracting brutal revenge on those who wronged him. But he didn't know that he would have his own price to pay for his dark deeds and that price was the loss of the son he loved dearly." She closed the book and walked over to the broken hearted Robert and placed her hand on his shoulder as she started singing her part on "Sin of the Father" her voice bitter and angry.

"Forever will you wonder where could he be

His final destination you will never see

Now your life will never be the same

And you have only yourself to blame

To trade his love for power forever

Is the greatest the sin of the father..."

"Thank you!" she called out after she finished the song. "I know we're breaking a bit with tradition tonight but now I have a question for you. Are you liking what you hear so far?"

"Yes!" was the thunderous response.

"And do you want to hear more?"

"Yes!"

Tease, Robert thought from where he was sitting. He'd been nervous as hell about being out on stage with Belle and the band but that changed once he got in character. He actually enjoyed playing this version of the 'Beast" Belle had written because it matched his own personality a little too well. Even Neal was having fun playing his lost son.

She opened her book again. "For years the Dark One lived alone in his castle making his deals, instilling fear in those who crossed him. One day he was summoned to protect a town from the threat of the Ogres. The price he demanded for his aid would not only change their lives but his own."

She handed the book to Ariel as she retreated backstage to change into her golden gown while her bandmates took their places on stage to act out the scene where Belle was exchanged for protection from the Ogres while Ariel narrated.

"In a Dark Castle up on snow covered mountains lived the Beast, the most feared man in all the lands, only he was no longer a man. Power and grief over his lost son had corrupted him. Everyone thought him incapable of love or being loved in return." She lowered her voice to a deep growl. "For who could ever learn to love a beast!"

The audience screamed when Belle reemerged and began singing the opening lines to "Into His Darkness."

"This chance for our salvation I must take

For no one else but me decides my fate

To save all those I hold dear

I must not give in to my fear

His price for our freedom requires no less

Now I journey into his darkness..."

Now Belle stood on a ladder in a blue dress, attempting to open drapes to allow light into the windows of the castle room. She lost her grip and fell into Robert's arms. After he set her back on her feet, Ariel narrated the next part of the story.

"In the months since she'd come to his castle, the beauty began to see there was more to her new master than she'd realized yet he still tried to put a distance between them when she got too close to uncovering the man that still lived inside the beast. The man who without wanting to, was learning to love again. Little did they know that there was someone out there as powerful as he was determined to take their love and use it as a weapon for her revenge." She closed the book and began to sing "Love Is Weakness" in a gritty voice as Regina Mills stepped out onto the stage as the Evil Queen watching the new lovers with interest, a smirk on her ruby red lips while Ariel sang for her in a voice filled with loathing.

"Give in to your passion

Make it your distraction

Too long I have waited

For the perfect trap to be baited

Soon you'll find yourself broken and powerless

You have forgotten that love is weakness."

"Rumplestiltskin made another deal with his captive. He asked her to go into town to fetch him some straw in exchange for a story upon her return. He was not expecting her to return but the Queen needed her to and she knew just the right words to tempt the innocent girl."

While Regina went backstage to wait, Belle and Ariel stood at the front of the stage for their duet of "True Love's Kiss", Belle's voice melodic and full of passion, Ariel's full of malice.

"Somehow I know deep inside he cares for me

And with true love's kiss I'll set him free

This little show I woudn't want to miss

The ruin of my enemy with true love's kiss..."

Robert returned to the stage sitting at his spinning wheel when Belle returned. Their kiss was brief followed by him shoving her away from him.

"Once he realized his powers were weakening and why, the Beast turned his anger on his beloved, accusing her of betrayal and ordering her to leave."

They now stood face to face. She glared at him as she stared singing "An Empty Heart", her voice mixed with bitterness and heartbreak.

"You curse me, say you hate me, then push me away

You'll regret not asking me to stay

And one day you will see what you have given up

All you have now is an empty heart and my chipped cup!"

The next scene showed Belle on a road being captured by The Evil Queen while Ariel narrated.

"The Evil Queen, still in need of a victory made one last attempt to inflict pain on her nemesis and she did so with a cruel lie. And there is no greater pain than believing that your love is dead."

Robert stood in the background with the cup in his hands, cradling it in grief as the beast mourning his lost love while Graham moved to the center of the stage to sing. "Flicker of Light".

"If I could have stopped time

Maybe then she would have been mine

Now I feel as if I will go insane

My cold heart can no longer bear this pain

Condemned to a life of eternal night

My cowardice has extinguished my flicker of light."

"The Evil Queen enjoyed her small victory and her most dastardly plan was yet to come. She now had her possession a curse that would cast everyone out of their world and into ours with no memory of who they were...or loved." Ariel then closed the book and began to sing "My Happy Ending."

"A princess without her prince

A beast without his beauty

So sweet is the smell of victory

In this other land shall be the beginning

Of my happy ending..."

Ariel left the stage and Robert returned now holding the book dressed in his trademark suit and tie, his stage fright lessened now that the fans seemed to enjoy his performance.

"Although the Evil Queen did achieve a small victory with the casting of her curse, she was unaware that Rumplestiltskin still had a few tricks up his sleeve by devising a way for the curse to be broken by the child of her other sworn enemy...Snow White and at the mere mention of her name and her appearance in their town, his memory would return...and all he had to do was watch...and wait."

Graham came up beside him and started singing "Throw The Gauntlet Down" while Emma, playing the daughter of Snow White challenged Regina to break the curse.

"The little queen will lose her crown

When the savior throws the gauntlet down

The pain that was mine she'll know

And I'll just stand back and enjoy the show

Waiting for the opportunity

To bring him back to me"

"Little did Rumplestiltskin know that in the basement of the hospital there was a young woman being held prisoner by the Queen...to be killed whenever it suited her. It was a fate worse than death but when the Queen made the mistake of alienating one of her allies, he would make a move that would change the game." Robert narrated as the scene changed to Belle being freed from the asylum by Jefferson in his role as the Mad Hatter. Robert smiled and left the stage as Belle stepped into the spotlight and sang her last song, "Fighting For You". He knew he loved it the first time he read the lyrics for it. Now, hearing her sing it for the first time nearly reduced him to tears as she poured all of her passion into her voice.

"Forever her cage would not bind me

The strength of our love has set me free

Even if it is the last thing I ever do

I will never stop fighting for you!"

"And with that Rob, she's just brought down the fucking house!" Ariel cried out over the excited screams of the crowd.

Robert was grinning from ear to ear as he walked out to the center of the stage to join her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her, not giving a damn that there were thousands of people watching them. Besides, the kiss had been built into the script anyway but he was enjoying it a hell of a lot more than an actor would simply playing the part. And making it even better was his knowledge that it wouldn't end at just that.

"I love you Robert," Belle whispered, her forehead touching his.

"And I love you, my siren," he murmured while the audience continued to scream around them and the cameras captured every moment for the DVD they planned to release just in time for Christmas.


	16. Epilogue

Excerpt from a blog post on 'The Haunted Palace', the Official fanpage of Ligeia:

A New Manager, New Members, a New Album, and a New Ligeia

After last year's attack by former band member Gaston Lecroix, the future of Ligeia's front woman Belle Chamonceaux remained uncertain as she was replaced by former Atlantica front woman Ariel Finn Tritan for the remaining shows of the group's North American tour. Also in question was the state of the band itself as a legal dispute by former band manager Maurice Chamonceux and the band's current manager Robert Gold dragged out for months. Accusations of fraud were made against Gold, who staunchly denied the charges. Gold eventually won the suit, securing his position as the band's manager while Maurice Chamonceux was convicted of embezzlement after evidence of his theft was leaked to the district attorney's office by his own attorney, who later resigned from the California Bar after violating attorney client privilege. Seven months later the family of Gaston Lexcroix requested termination of his life support and he was buried in a quiet ceremony with only immediate family members permitted to attend.

Very little was seen of Belle although weekly reports of her progress were posted on the band's website and she did manage to take time during her recovery to answer fans' questions while asking them to be supportive of Ariel during her tenure with the band. Fans were treated to renditions of both Ligeia and Atlantica songs in the final shows of the tour and at the last show Ariel expressed confidence that Belle would return to the stage soon, however this was called into question a week later when the band announced on its website that Ariel and Eric Tritan would become permanent members of the band.

In mid-July tickets went on sale for a one night show in Los Angeles. Fans speculated whether this show would be Belle Chamonceaux's comeback and the event was sold out in eight hours. Ariel opened the show with her cover of Live and Let Die from Atlantica's self-titled debut album then spoke to the audience, assuring them that Belle would return soon. Then from backstage could be heard the familiar opening notes of The Haunted Palace, fans dreams coming true as Belle Chamonceaux returned, sounding better than before. In a tearful address to the audience, she thanked all of them for their support and brought several onstage. She then introduced Robert Gold and thanked him. There has been speculation about a relationship between them but nothing in their body language suggested any type of romantic attachment.

Belle then announced that the band had been writing and recording songs for a new concept album that they planned to play for the second half of the show. Called Once Upon a Time, Belle explained that she was spinning a new twist on some of her favorite fairy tales. Concept albums are always a gamble and this one is no different.

She began the evening dressed as Belle from Disney's Beauty and The Beast, her first tale a new twist on the Grimm classic Rumplestiltskin. Few were surprised to see Robert Gold in the title role as the legendary dealmaker only in Belle's tale he is a loving father driven to darkness by a need to protect his son and escape the stigma of cowardice that haunts him. What did come as a surprise was Graham Hunter coming out and singing and his rough vocals compliment Belle's perfectly.

The most emotional moments in the show came during the band's rendition of Beauty and the Beast. In this set Robert Gold takes on a duel role both as the dealmaker Rumplestiltskin and the Beast who gained Belle as a servant in his castle in a deal to protect her lands from ogres. It is during this performance that one second guesses the possibility of a romantic attachment between the two. Belle's performance during the songs in this set contain far more passion than she has ever exhibited before with the climax being the final verse of "Fighting For You" where she held the highest and longest note of any performance she's ever done both live and in the studio. At the close of the show they share a passionate kiss as the characters of the legendary fairy tale are reunited. All questions concerning their relationship were later silenced by the announcement of their marriage in a private ceremony a week later and the announcement of plans to release both a DVD and CD of the live show and a four hour movie version containing the rest of the stories. Fresh from her Academy Award victory, Regina Mills Hood is reprising her role as The Evil Queen from the stage show while her long-time rival Mary Margaret Blanchard has signed on to play Snow White. Amazon is already being flooded with requests for both DVDs. The website has also been flooded by requests for further performances of the show.

Belle closed her laptop when she heard her husband's cane tapping on the marble floor as he walked into the living room. He set his briefcase down on the coffee table and sat down on the sofa, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, sighing deeply.

"How did it go?" she asked worriedly.

"We're finally free," he murmured. "I don't have to pay that bitch another cent of alimony and Neal only sees her if he wants to."

"Thank God," she said softly as she leaned over and kissed him. "Another headache?"

"Yeah. Dealing with that woman always gives me one."

"Well, let's see if we can take care of that," she said as she made him lie down with his head in her lap and began to massage his forehead and temples. "Feel any better?"

"Getting there," he replied with a grin. "What did you do today?"

"I've been working on the post we want to put up on the fan blog as to why the next tour's going to be delayed. I mean...I just got back from a hiatus and now I have to go on one again."

"I like this reason better," he murmured, his hand reaching up to caress her abdomen. She wasn't showing yet but they were having a difficult time trying to keep her pregnancy a secret until they issued an official statement. Neal was excited about having a new brother or sister. Robert was determined that this baby's life would have less drama in it than Neal's early years while Belle was concerned she wouldn't be a good mother despite her husband's assurances that she would be an excellent one. Seeing Dr. Hopper on a regular basis was helping both of them overcome their self-confidence issues and Robert's anxiety at his son dating. It wasn't that he didn't like Emma, he worried that their relationship was progressing too far too quickly.

Belle went to see her father several times in prison, none of them ending well. Maurice made it quite clear he disapproved of Belle's marriage and the new directions her career was taking. Each time a new offer was presented to her, she and Robert would discuss them together, weighing the pros and cons of each. They didn't like turning anyone down but there was always a promise that if the band's schedule accommodated it, she would gladly accept if it was presented to her again.

One of those offers was from a publisher wanting her to write a novelization of her Once Upon a Time stories to tie in with the miniseries. She handed the letter she received in the mail that morning to Robert.

"They're giving you nine months to complete it...more if needed and I know the last thing you want to do is sit around the house while you're pregnant but you're a wonderful storyteller Belle and this gives you a chance to tell your stories to different audiences who may not even know who you are. I told you, we'd find a way to tell them."

"I want to give Ariel and Graham more lead vocals on our next album too as well as song writing credits. Graham's been writing some songs and they're good. Everybody thinks I'm Ligeia but it's not true...it's all of us...working together."

"Even the beast behind the curtain?"

"I happen to love my beast behind the curtain. Keeps people on their toes," she murmured and kissed him. "So you think I should try to write the Once book during my pregnancy?"

"I do but we can also start recording the next Ligeia album and make Ariel and Graham the lead vocalists on most of the tracks so you don't have to spend as much time in the studio. By the time the album's done, the baby should be able to go on the road with us."

"I won't be one of those mothers who leave my child with nannies all the time," she said firmly.

"That's part of the reason why I'm cutting back on my own workload so that I can be at home more too."

"And I do need to have my muse with me when I write about Rumplestiltskin."

"I'm curious to see who they get to play Rumple and Belle."

"Any big names floating around?"

"Not that I've heard."

"It doesn't matter who they get...you'll always be my Rumple."

"And no one else can be my Belle but you."

"You know...you're stuck with me forever."

"Best damned deal I ever made," he said as he reached for her and they kissed again.


End file.
